Chances
by Jezebel Whitlock
Summary: A war between Vampires and Humans bring the human race into termoil. What happens when Bella becomes a slave to a vampire that has no heart?
1. Prologue

**Okay, so here's my new story. I couldn't seem to get the idea out of my head so I thought I'd write it down. I'm still working on my other JxB story so never fear. Hope you like it. :). **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

Prologue

Terror.

That's the only emotion. People are in hiding and there is nothing to fight back with. The question is: how do you fight back against something that is completely indestructible? For almost one hundred years, there was a war against vampires and humans.

They call it the Vampire Wars. Suffice to say, it's pretty obvious what it was. It was the major war between vampires and humans. The vampires were tired of hiding so they declared war on the human race and eventually took over.

There was a lot of blood and deaths, mostly by the vampires. When they want something, they aren't afraid of taking it. Now, humans are in hiding and the ones that get caught are taken to the Centre. The Centre is a place where humans are sent to to clean up and pretty themselves up. A lot have people have killed themselves, just to avoid it.

It doesn't help that there are groups out there that are looking for humans. They gather us up like animals and take up to the Centre. Lot of us tend to live underground. For some reason, the vampires have an aversion to the tunnels.

That's not to say they don't travel through them. It just means that it gives us more time to get away.

Then there's me. Bella Swan. I have no family because they've all been captured. I had to watch one of the vampires kill my father in cold blood, just to prove a point to us. I ran while they raped my mother.

So here I am now, sitting alone in an abandoned tunnel with nowhere to go and a little baby boy I found lying in the middle of the tunnel, crying.

It's not surprising that the boy's parents left him. There isn't enough food or anything else they would need to support the baby. I'm not sure why I took the boy with me but I couldn't just leave him alone, surrounded by death. He didn't deserve what happened.

I held him in my arms, pressing my face into his soft hair. He was young. I wasn't actually sure how old he was. Judging from his size, I'd say he was past his first year. It was hard to keep track of age, especially since babies usually die during birth.

My stomach growled from hunger. I hadn't had the chance to eat because the limited food that I did have, I had to give to the baby.

I frowned, staring down at him. I was going to have to name him soon. I can't keep calling him _the baby_.

Pondering on the matter, I studied him. He was so tiny. He had a fuzz of auburn hair and beautiful moonlight grey eyes. I stroked his plump little cheek and kissed his head. I decided to call him Adrian.

"It's okay," I whispered. "Everything's going to be okay."

He peered up at me with his dark eyes.

There was a noise. I froze. It was coming from down the hall. No, no, no. This can't be happening. Panic overwhelmed me and I struggled to stand without dropping Adrian.

It didn't do much help when he started crying. I shushed him as much as I could but we were heard. _They_ could hear just about anything.

"Shush, baby, it's okay. Please, we're going to get caught. Please, stop crying."

As I started running down the tunnel, two of them were blocking me. "Well, well, well, what have we here?" One of them asked.

I shivered and avoided the red eyed gaze.

" I thought we brought all the girls."

The other one snorted. "Apparently not." He chuckled and moved forward. I was paralysed with fear as he lifted a strand of my hair and sniffed it. "Mmm. She smells divine."

"She's not for you, Galen." The first vampire hissed. "We must take her to the Centre."

"Why can't we ever have them?"

"We can. We just have to pay."

He sighed and looked me up and down. "Judging from this one that is a price I won't be able to afford."

"I doubt there are many that will be able to afford her."

"The Cullens will be able to afford her."

"Yes, but the Cullens have all found the ones they want. Besides, haven't you heard? Carlisle doesn't like the way the humans are treated. He doesn't use them for servants."

"There is definitely something different about the way they behave."

I tuned out their voices and started moving backwards slowly. It was the only chance I had. I couldn't let them catch me. These people are vile and disgusting. It surprised me that these ones were so unobservant. With their enhanced senses, they should have known I was escaping.

"Oh, look Quinn, she's getting away."

Before I had time to blink, something crashed into the back of my head and I lost consciousness.

_No_, was the last thing I remember before everything went black.


	2. Chapter 1

**Okay, so this is the next chapter. I was pretty disappointed in the number of reviews that I got for the last chapter but I decided to be nice and update. Hope you enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: S.M owns these characters. I own nothing :(**

Chapter 1

"Wake up!"

I was jerked awake. Sitting up slowly, I looked around. I didn't recognize where I was, which when you think about it, wasn't that surprising.

"Remember me?" A voice drew me back and I looked up at the man. Red eyes leered at me. I flinched back, cringing in the corner.

Vampire.

He grinned, his ultra white teeth shining in the fake light. "I'll take that as a yes." He said cheerfully. "Come on, little human. We have things to do." He jerked me upright till I was standing, albeit awkwardly, and started pushing me ahead of him.

Then I remembered Adrian. "Wait!" I stopped and swung around to face him. "The baby that was with me. Where did he go? Is he okay? You didn't hurt him did you?" I started to panic. He was all I had, even if he wasn't even mine.

The vampire slapped me before I could get anything else out. It stung, especially because of the hard, granite skin.

"Silence! You are not to speak." He growled, his face changing into one that actually resembled that of a vampire.

I cringed away.

"You will be sentenced to death if you speak out of term. Be thankful that it is me. Anyone else would have flogged you for your misbehaviour." He glared at me. "Do you understand, human?"

I was too afraid to answer.

"Answer me!"

"Y-yes, I understand." I stammered.

"Good." he started walking again and this time I followed without instruction. I could imagine all the horrible things that go on here. People that live in the underground tunnels tend to hear stories about what goes on in the Centres and what happen to the human slaves that are taken by the vampires. None of it is ever pleasant.

Vampires used humans for anything they wanted. Sex is one of the main reasons why vampires take human slaves. Something about our warmth and softness against the granite, cold skin, make it pleasurable for the vampire and very painful for the human.

There is no way for us to hide. Eventually they will find us and there won't be anything we can do. That's the way it is now. Us vs. Them, where we, the Humans, have nothing against them, the Vampires.

I was taken into large holding cell with other human women where a fat old woman with red cheeks and dull hair stripped me of my clothes. My hands immediately moved over my breasts and I looked around. It reminded me of the gas chambers the Nazis put Jewish people in during WWII. I knew this wasn't anything like that. Humans were needed to please the vampires and young ones at that were novelty. It was very rare to find a female human who was still a virgin. Especially in times like this.

Before I knew it, water was raining down on us. It was ice cold. Many of the females squealed. I gritted my teeth and bore through it, squeezing my eyes shut. We were forced to stay under the water for five minutes and by the time it was shut off, felt like a prune and I was shivering violently.

We were gathered into another room and dried and clothed into dull grey dresses that dropped to our ankles. It was thin and I was still very cold but at least I would warm up soon. I hoped.

Things happened so fast that I didn't understand what was going on. Slowly girls were being taken away until a vampire came and got me. I couldn't understand what was happening.

I was led into a white room with blinding white lights and pushed into a chair with a chain wrapped around my ankle. Did they honestly believe that I was going to try and run away? With vampires who were stronger, faster and ruthless? I shuddered at the thought.

The vampire that found me in the underground tunnels walked towards me, a huge smile across his face. "All right, little human. Time to get checked out."

Checked out? Checked out for what?

I didn't voice my question. It would only get me punished and I was in no mood to get bitch slapped by the vampire.

Another man came inside with a white lab coat on. He was a doctor. I couldn't look at him. I couldn't see the disturbing red eyes. I needed to focus on something else until I felt the cold hands hike my dress up way past my knee. I snapped my attention to the vampire.

"What are you doing?" I demanded.

"Just relax. This is only going to take a minute." He parted my legs easily, no matter how hard I fought to keep them clamped shut. Suddenly his fingers were probing along inside me and I gasped, both at the feeling and the coldness.

"Get your disgusting fingers out of me!" I shrieked.

"Yep, still a virgin."

"Well, no shit, Sherlock."

The hand disappeared and I breathed out a sigh of relief. That lasted only until Galen, the vampire behind me spoke.

"Damn. What I wouldn't give to be the one to break that barrier."

"She isn't for you, Galen." The doctor snapped.

"Yeah, I know." He growled. "Let's go."

~*~

Once I was dressed in a white gown that fell to my knees, I was taken to a room with at least a dozen other girls, all wearing the same white dress.

Frowning, I made my way inside and sat in the corner, my back against the wall and my arms wrapped around my legs.

A young girl, maybe a little younger that I was, came over and sat down beside me. "Hi." She said hesitantly. "I'm Angela."

I swallowed and peered into her brown eyes. She didn't_ look_ threatening but then again, looks can be deceiving. "Bella." I whispered. my eyes darted around the room. the other girls were all in small clumps, whispering to each other. "What is this room?"

"The viewing room. it where they put the girls to be viewed by the vampire royals. There is a two way mirror," she pointed to the mirror on the other side of the room. "Where they can look in without us knowing."

I shivered. "So they could be watching us right now?"

She nodded.

"How long have you been here?" I asked.

"A couple of days." She looked at me and caught a strand of my hair between her fingers. "You must be new."

"What makes you think that?"

"I've never seen you before. These girls come and go like clockwork."

"How are the girls picked?" I asked.

"Usually by appearance. The younger you are, the more you're wanted. The older women are usually taken to be slaves. A lot of the young vampires tend to pick human girls that still have their virginity."

"How does it work?"

"You don't know much about this, do you?" she asked with a frown.

I shook my head. "I've lived in the tunnels all this time. I haven't heard much about goes on here, except for the rumours that get started." I sighed and rested my chin on my knees. "I don't even know if what they say is true."

She nodded her head in understanding. "I know too much, to be honest. When my mom was taken, she was pregnant with me. I spent most of my life in the vampire home until my sixteenth year. Then they brought me here."

"You're sixteen?"

Angela nodded. "How old are you?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I dunno. I've lived in the tunnels all my life. It's hard to know exactly how much time has past." I sighed and closed my eyes. "It feels like I've been there for a lifetime."

"I don't know how you managed to survive all those years in those dirty tunnels." She shivered.

"It wasn't easy but at least we were free." I said.

"What about your parents?"

"They died." I answered flatly.

She was silent for a moment. "How?"

"Vampires found us one day when my father had left the tunnels to hunt food. They made him watch as one of them raped my mother and then killed him. My mother told me to run and I did. I didn't want to leave her but I knew the chances of that happening to me were pretty high and I needed to survive."

I swallowed back tears. I didn't want to seem weak in front of her. "I heard my mother's scream as I ran. She was completely silent as they wrapped her but that scream…" I trailed off, my body shaking with sobs.

Angela wrapped her slim around me and rested her chin on my head. "I'm so sorry, Bella."

I stiffened in her arms, unused to the feeling of another body holding me. When she didn't let me go, I realized there was no danger and I relaxed into her embrace. "What was it like, living with the vampires?"

"Kind of frightening actually. Those red eyes and the cold skin. It completely freaked me out. But the ones that I lived with, they were very generous. They could have sent me to grow up in the Centre but they let me stay. It wasn't until the Royal Guards found out that they were forced to send me here."

"The Royal Guard?" That sounded official.

"They are a group of vampires that used to guard the Royal family before the Revolution. While they were in hiding, they were the ones that the leaders sent out when humans learned the truth or vampires betrayed the secret. Now, they're there to uphold the new rules. If those rules are broken," she made the cutting sound as her hand moved swiftly across her neck. "You die."

I grimaced. "Lovely."

"Almost all the vampires follow the rules."

"_Almost_ all of them?"

She nodded her head. "Yeah. I heard that there are one or two vampires that don't follow the rules. But the Royal Guard is too afraid to go after them."

I snickered at that. "That's pathetic."

"Yeah, well." she shrugged and smiled.

I grew serious when I remembered about Adrian. "Angela, what happens to the babies that come to the Centre?"

She frowned and shook her head sadly. "They're killed. If their boys." She said. "The keep the girls and watch them grow. Usually the ones that grow up in the Centre tend to behave the way they do. It's because they've always been around them that they don't know any better."

I shivered my heart breaking. Little Adrian was going to die? They can't do that to him. He's just an innocent little child.

"Why are they so cruel?" I whispered.

"They have to be. The male humans will fight back, if only to save the females that they love. The vampires know that. That's why they kill the male babies during infancy."

"But that's awful."

"It's the way it is. There's nothing we can do." She looked at me, speculating. "Why are you so curious about this?"

"I had a baby boy with me when I was caught. They wouldn't tell me what happened to him." I moaned. "My poor Adrian."

"How are you in here if you had a baby?"

"He wasn't my baby. I found him in the tunnels and I couldn't just leave him there to die from starvation and cold."

Angela raised an eyebrow in shock. "You took in a child in the tunnels? When there isn't enough food for you, let alone the baby?"

"We managed. He doesn't eat anything anyway. He's only a couple of months old."

"Good grief, that's even worse." She shook her head. "I don't know how you managed. I don't think I'd have the strength to do what you did."

"It wasn't easy." I agreed. "Especially when I had to go out and hunt."

"You're so brave." She said.

"Not really." I shrugged, resting my head back against the wall. "It was all part of survival."

"It's the same here." Angela said, nodding to all the girls. "The longer you stay here, the more likely something is going to happen. The girls usually fight with each other to outdo the others. It's the best way to be picked." Seeing my look of disbelief, she continued. "Believe it or not but anywhere is better than this place. The vampires are all so vile and disgusting. The girls know the faster you get out, the better off you'll be."

"It's a battle of survival."

She nodded her head in agreement.

A girl with dirty blond hair overheard our conversation and cut in. "The chances of the two of you being picked are pretty poor. You're not pretty enough to get picked."

"Leave us alone, Lauren. " Angela snapped. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, I know more than you think. I overheard them talking. They say that no vampire is going to want you because you're tainted."

"How am I tainted?"

She ignored Angela and turned to me. "You're too ugly to get picked. I guarantee, by the end of the day, I'll be gone from this place."

"And how long have you been here, exactly?" I asked, honestly curious.

Angela giggled beside me. "Almost a month, according to the other girls. She says the same thing every day and it never happens."

I smiled. "Hate to break it to you—okay, maybe not—but if you haven't been picked yet, something tells me that you're not going to."

"You little bitch!" Lauren came at me.

My survival techniques came in and I moved to the side, jumping to my feet all in on second. I watched as Lauren fell flat on her face. She swivelled around to look at me, her face red with anger.

"How dare you!"

"You better not do this. You don't know what will happen." I warned. "Trust me; you really don't want to see what happens."

Instead of heeding, she came at me. I moved out of the way and stuck my foot out, tripping her in the process. The other girls gathered around to see what the commotion was about.

I put my foot against her lower back and crossed my arms. "I warned you."

I wasn't one to gloat so after I proved my point; I took my foot off her and turned away. Lauren was huffing in anger. I started walking toward Angela when something rammed into my back, knocking me to the floor.

"Really?" I asked in disbelief. "Haven't you learned enough?" I flipped her over and pinned her to the ground. I noticed then that she had rocks embedded in her cheek. I felt kind of guilty but I didn't let her see it. "You really don't want to piss me off. I've had enough of your shit. I'm stronger and faster. And you truly don't want to see me when I get pissed off. It is not something you would want to see."

She nodded her head, fear finally settling in her eyes.

"Good." I got up and wiped off the dirt from my dress.

There was clapping from behind me. I swung around, looking into the red eyes. I shivered and started moving backwards as he moved forward.

Once my back hit the wall behind me, I slipped to the ground and stared up at him, feeling small. I didn't like the feeling but I knew I couldn't fight back.

"Do you know what I am?"

I snorted. Just as I was about to make a snarky remark against his stupid question, I caught sight of Angela, shaking her head frantically from the corner of my eye. Assuming that this wasn't the time to be charming and sarcastic, I swallowed it back and nodded my head in affirmation to his question.

"Do you know _who_ I am?"

At least this one I could answer honestly. I shook my head.

"Really? Well that's a first. I don't think I've ever met a female human who has never known who I was before." He mused.

"Pardon me, Sir, but this human has been living in the underground tunnels all these years. She doesn't know much about this life."

"Is that so?" he looked amused. "Well, that's a first." He chuckled.

I glanced at Angela. She looked terrified. I wish I could ask her what she was so afraid of but I didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention to myself.

"What's your name, human?"

I hesitated.

"Answer him!" Galen yelled.

I cringed. In one moment, my strength died away and I was cringing into the corner like a frightened child.

"Now, now, there's no need to frighten her." The vampire crouched down so he was staring me in the eye.

It was the first time I've ever seen those eyes close up and it scared the crap outta me.

"Now, what's your name?"

"Bella Swan."

"Hmm." He stood up and looked around before turning his gaze back to me. "Stand up for a minute, Miss. Swan."

I swallowed back the panic and stood up slowly.

"Come now, there's no need to be afraid." He took my arm and drew me away from the wall gently. "Hold out your arms."

I held me arms out as he studied me intently. "A little thin, I suppose, but it must have been from all those years in the tunnels." He murmured. "Beautiful eyes. I've never seen such deep eyes before." He moved behind me and lifted my coarse, flat hair in his cold hands. "Hair needs a trim." He looked at Galen. "What's the highest bid?"

Galen said the number and I couldn't believe how high the number was. It shocked me so much that I didn't have time to be angry that they were bidding on me to be their slave.

The man looked at me. "I'm sure Master Jasper would be pleased." He nodded his head. "Yes, he would. I want her hair trimmed, at least to the middle of her back. Put her in a clean dress and I will fetch her when I am done here."

I glanced back at Angela in alarm. She shook her head sadly. "Wait!"

He stopped and turned to look at me. "Is something wrong?"

"I-I had a little boy with me. I want to know how he is." I whispered. "Please, let me see him and I'll do whatever you ask." I pleaded.

He thought about it, studying me closely. "I suppose."

I heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

**All right. That's all. I hope you enjoyed it. Please, please, please review. **


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N Thanks to all the people who reviewed. I'm thrilled that you liked it. Enjoy the next chapter :) **

**Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight **

Chapter 2

**PPOV**

I stood outside the Centre, contemplating whether I should go in or not. I know that Jasper wanted this and I'm really in no position to deny anything he asks for but could I really do this? Pick out a human girl only for her to be assaulted by rogue vampires?

My brooding thoughts were starting to annoy me. The fact that this was going to be the first human Jasper's ever brought in since the Vampires won the Revolution made it even harder. I had to make sure that she was perfect. That wasn't going to be as easy as I expected.

Holding back a growl of frustration, I made my way into the building.

I barely made it past the door before I was flanked by two vampires, surprised and nervous about why I was there.

"Mr. Whitlock! Welcome to the Centre."

I winced.

"What can we do for you?"

Down to business. That was exactly my forte. Pleasantry wasn't one of my strong suits. "I'm looking for a girl. Preferably a young one."

"Of course, Sir. We've just brought in a new round of young females, just last night." I recognized Galen as the one who spoke. He had come to the manor to speak to Jasper on occasion. Suffice to say, Jasper scared him shitless. He would do just about anything to please Jasper.

They don't call him the God of War for nothing.

They led me through the Centre. These girls wore red dresses. "Why do the girls all wear different coloured gowns?"

It seemed like a naïve question but I could care less.

"The girls in white dresses still have their innocence. The other girls wear different coloured gowns, depending on age and priority."

I wasn't paying attention any more. I was watching one of the girls. Her brown hair fell down in curls to her lower back and her chocolate brown doe eyes. I watched her interact with a tall girl with mousy brown hair.

I watched as one of the other girls provoked them. I listened to the conversation. "The chances of the two of you being picked are pretty poor. You're not pretty enough to get picked." The blond haired girl said.

"Leave us alone, Lauren. You don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, I know more than you think. I overheard them talking. They say that no vampire is going to want you because you're tainted."

"How am I tainted?"

"Who is the female with the waist long hair?" I asked, glancing behind me at Galen.

"Her name is Isabella."

I nodded and turned back to listen.

"…By the end of the day, I'll be gone from this place."

"And how long have you been here, exactly?" Isabella asked.

"Almost a month, according to the other girls. She says the same thing every day and it never happens." The other girl giggled.

"Hate to break it to you—okay, maybe not—but if you haven't been picked yet, something tells me that you're not going to."

"You little bitch!"

I watched with interest as Isabella moved to the side, and jumped to her feet all in on second. Lauren fell flat on her face. She swivelled around, her face red with anger.

"How dare you!"

"You better not do this. You don't know what will happen. Trust me; you really don't want to see what happens."

Instead of heeding the warning, she came went at her again. I shook my head in disbelief as I watched the idiotic girl. Isabella moved out of the way and stuck her foot out, tripping Lauren in the process. The other girls gathered around to see what the commotion was about.

I chuckled as Isabella put her foot against the other girl's lower back and crossed her arms. "I warned you."

Lauren was huffing in anger. As she started walking toward her tall friend, Lauren rammed into her back, knocking her to the floor.

"Really?" she asked in disbelief. "Haven't you learned enough?" Isabella flipped her over and pinned her to the ground. I watched as she spoke to the girl in a calm voice. "You really don't want to piss me off. I've had enough of your shit. I'm stronger and faster. And you truly don't want to see me when I get pissed off. It is not something you would want to see."

She nodded her head, fear finally settling in her eyes.

"Good." She got up and wiped off the dirt from her dress.

I walked inside, clapping. She turned around quickly, staring up at me. I watched as she shivered. She kept moving backwards as I walked closer. Her instincts were good. She knew when danger was coming.

"Do you know what I am?" I asked, knowing full well that it was a stupid question. I watched as her eyes flashed but she nodded her head.

I felt amusement as I thought about her speaking back. It was something that I was unused to when it came to humans. Usually they did what they were told.

"Do you know _who_ I am?"

She shook her head. I found that a surprise. Everyone knew who I was. It wasn't a secret. "Really? Well that's a first. I don't think I've ever met anyone who didn't know who I was."

"Pardon me, Sir, but this human lived in the underground tunnels all these years. She doesn't know much about this life."

"Is that so?" I chuckled. "Well, that's a first." I looked at her. I needed to hear her speak again. "What's your name human?"

She hesitated.

"Answer him!" Galen yelled.

"Now, now, there's no need to frighten her." I crouched down so I was looking her in the eye. I knew my eyes were red but it shouldn't have been that frightening.

"Now, what's your name?"

"Bella Swan."

"Hmm." I stood up and looked around, studying the other girls. They were all watching with anger. "Stand up for a minute, Miss. Swan."

She stood up slowly.

"Come now, there's no need to be afraid." I took her arm and drew her away from the wall gently. "Hold out your arms."

She did as I asked and I studied her intently. "A little thin, I suppose, but it must have been from all those years in the tunnels." I murmured. "Beautiful eyes. I've never seen such deep eyes before." I moved behind her and lifted her hair. It was coarse and her hair was more tangles than curls. "Hair needs a trim." I looked at Galen. "What's the highest bid?"

Galen told me. 120K. I was surprised by the number. She was just brought here, after all. It was strange that such a girl could bring such a large sum of money. I told him I'd pay 200K to take the girl. They were afraid to argue so the deal was sold.

I looked at the tiny girl. "I'm sure Master Jasper would be pleased." I nodded my head. "Yes, he would. I want her hair trimmed, at least to the middle of her back. Put her in a clean dress and I will fetch her when I am done here."

I turned my back and started walking away when I heard her call out. "Wait!"

I stopped and turned to look at her. "Is something wrong?"

"I-I had a little boy with me. I want to know how he is." She whispered. "Please, let me see him and I'll do whatever you ask."

I thought about it, studying her closely. Was it really such a big deal if I let her see the boy? No, I didn't think so. "I suppose."

She sighed in relief. "Thank you."

I nodded my head and headed out.

~*~

I sent a message to Jasper before I went to check on the girl.

The vampires put her into a navy dress that fell to her knees. It was actually quite a lovely colour on her. Her hair was trimmed to where I wanted and overall, she was quite beautiful. She was nothing compared to Charlotte but she was beautiful for a human.

I followed behind them as Galen led Bella to another holding room. Bella ran to the baby as soon as she saw him and picked him up, holding him close to her. The baby cooed and tugged on Bella's hair.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered, so low I wouldn't have been able to hear her if I wasn't a vampire. "I love you."

It was interesting to watch the way the human girl interacted with the baby. Especially a baby that wasn't even hers to begin with. "What's going to happen to that baby?" I asked fast enough that the girl wouldn't hear it.

"He'll be put to death within the next couple of days. The Volutri refuse to let human boys live because there is a chance that they will grow up and fight back against the vampires."

I studied the two. "What if the baby was raised with vampires?"

Galen looked at me. "Pardon?"

"What if the baby was raised around vampires?" I repeated slowly.

"Uh… I don't know. That's never happened before." he stuttered.

Wheels rolled. Would Jasper object if I brought the child with me? If I explained my reasoning than maybe he wouldn't mind.

"What's the price for the child?" I asked.

Galen stared at me dumbfounded. Then his face cleared and a poker face appeared. "There is no price. The child will be put to death."

Bella whimpered. Clearly our conversation was getting loud enough that even she could hear it. I glanced over at her. She was holding the child exceptionally tight, but the baby didn't complain.

"Have you forgotten who I am?" I hissed, lowering my voice. He cringed back, his eyes wide in fear. "You don't want to fuck with me. You fuck with me, you fuck with Jasper and when he gets angry, you know exactly what will happen."

Fear flashed through his eyes and judging from his stiff posture, I knew he knew exactly what I was talking about.

"I suggest you get the child's things together. I will be back soon to fetch him."

Galen didn't argue with me. He went over to Bella and took the baby out of her arms. She cried out in protest.

"You have nothing to worry about, Isabella." I assured her. "He'll be back."

"Where is he going?" she whimpered.

"To get his things together."

Her head snapped up and she looked at me, her wide eyes rimmed red from tears. "Is he going somewhere?"

I nodded my head once. "He's coming with us."

Bella's eyes lit up and I watched as she contemplated whether or not to come hug me. She didn't but her eyes spoke volumes.

"Thank you."

I waved it off and turned my back.

**BPOV**

Adrian was coming with us!

I was elated. When I heard that he was going to be put to death, I couldn't help the whimper that escaped. "It's going to be okay, Adrian. I won't let them hurt you."

Before I could stop anything, Adrian was taken from my arms. I cried out in protest.

"You have nothing to worry about, Isabella. He'll be back." the vampire that bought me said.

"Where is he going?" I whimpered, watching as they fled out of sight.

"To get his things."

My head snapped up. "Is he going somewhere?"

"He is coming with us."

"Thank you." I whispered my heart filling with absolute love. Not for the vampire but for the baby I've come to love more than anything.

As soon as we were satisfying enough, we were led outside and toward a car. I stared at it. It was the first car I've ever seen. "Come along, Bella."

I turned my head, my eyes widening. The vampire… sparkled? I blinked once. Twice. Three times. He still sparkled. He rolled his eyes.

"Yes, yes, I sparkle. Did you think I would burst into flames if the sun hit me?"

"No." I answered honestly as I stepped into the car. "But I didn't expect you to sparkle either."

"Masculinity goes down the drain, this way."

I couldn't stop myself. I giggled. Upon hearing me, Adrian started giggling too. I stopped and looked down at him in surprise. It was the first time I've ever heard him laugh.

"Thank you for allowing me to bring him with me." I said softly. "It means a lot."

He nodded his head once.

"Since you know my name, don't you think I should know yours?"

"You're a curious little human, aren't you?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Comes with the territory."

He chuckled. "I can see that." He studied me quickly with his red eyes. I was growing used to his eyes. It wasn't so frightening anymore. "Peter." He said. "My name is Peter."

"Am I to become a slave?"

All humour left his face. "Depends."

"On what?" I asked, my voice going hard.

"On what Jasper wants."

"Jasper?"

"He's the master of the manor. He will be the one to commission what happens to you." Peter explained.

I shivered. "Then why did you come to the Centre? Wouldn't it have been better if _he_ came?"

"Generally, yes." He agreed. "But Jasper trusts me completely. We have a bond that cannot be broken."

"How so?"

"He sired me."

"Sired?"

"Changed me into a vampire." His voice lowered. "It was long ago. Before the Revolution."

"You were around before the Revolution even started?" That surprised me.

"Over a hundred and fifty years before the Revolution." Peter answered.

I shivered. "God, you're old."

He chuckled darkly. "I've seen things you could never imagine, little girl. Trust me; you don't want to hear about the things that I've seen."

I glared at him indignantly at the term _little girl_ but I didn't argue. "I may not have seen all the horrors that you have but I've certainly seen my fair share. More than I wish I had."

Peter nodded his head in acknowledgement. "That's right. You've lived in the tunnels all your life."

Neither one of us spoke again. I stared out the window, watching the scenery pass by. It was strange how dark it got.

"What time is it?" I asked, glancing over at Peter.

"Just after three."

I stared out in surprise. I wasn't expecting it to be this dark, especially at this time. "Why is it so dark?"

"It's always like this." Peter didn't elaborate and I didn't bother asking. I knew I was better off not knowing.

I held Adrian close to me, stroking his soft hair. I watched as Adrian grabbed a piece of my hair and tugged on it. This always brought him some relief when he was scared of something or just bored.

"How much longer until we get there?" I asked.

"Two hours."

I swallowed back my nerves and stared out the window again.

~*~

I must have fallen asleep because when I woke up again, the car had stopped and I was alone. Then I realized Adrian was gone.

I lifted my head from where they rested on my arms and looked around. The car door was open and the little light outside was shining through the door.

"Adrian?"

"He's okay." I heard Peter say from outside.

Shifting on the seat, I got out and blinked furiously as my eyes adjusted to the light. I looked around for Adrian. He was in the arms of another vampire. White blond hair fell past her shoulders as she looked at Peter with disapproval.

I was afraid to take Adrian away from her. Something about her stance made me nervous. But Adrian was crying for me so I moved with conviction and took him out of her arms. The vampire gave him over freely and I started humming a lullaby. This was something that always calmed him down when he was fussy.

"Jasper isn't going to be happy with you, Peter."

"I couldn't very well leave him there, Charlotte." Peter argued. "Besides, I'll explain to Jasper why."

I listened carefully. Were they going to take us back to the Centre? To be subjected to those vile vampires? I shivered in terror.

"Where is Jasper?" Peter asked.

"He's gone to see Carlisle. He had business to attend to."

Peter nodded. "Good. Please take Isabella here and give her some food. Let her rest and when Jasper returns, we will get her and introduce her."

"Of course, Peter."

I watched as Peter drew Charlotte to him and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "I missed you."

She giggled. "You haven't been gone that long."

I turned away, not wanting to watch. To have that kind of love. Would I ever get to have it for myself?

Looking up at the dark and dreary manor, I doubted it. I sighed, staring down at the baby in my arms, my only companion, as sad as that sounds.

**Hope you liked the next chapter. For those who are wondering when Jasper comes, never fear! He'll be in the next chapter. **

**But in the meantime, review and tell me what you think**

**By the way, I'm looking for a beta so if anyone's interested please let me know. Thanks. **


	4. Chapter 3

**Thank you to all those who reviewed. And thanks to my awesome Beta cheshirekat516 did on this chapter. Enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

Chapter 3

**BPOV**

I followed Charlotte through the manor, barely paying any attention to the surroundings. I had to fight to keep my head up. I hadn't realized just how tired I was.

Only Adrian's squirming kept me from falling asleep completely.

When Charlotte stopped, I nearly walked into her. "I'm sorry." I said quickly.

She didn't answer but opened the door. "Here is your room for the time being. We will see exactly what Jasper plans for you when he returns."

I peeked inside and nearly groaned. There was a queen sized four poster bed in the middle of the room. I didn't have the strength to notice anything else. All I wanted was to go to the bed, crawl in and sleep for several days.

"What about Adrian?"

Charlotte looked at him with discontent. "The child will stay with you until we learn what Jasper has planned."

Before I could ask any more questions, she turned her back and left. I looked around once more and went to the bed.

It felt like absolute heaven. I don't think I've ever felt this comfortable. It's little hard to find comfort when you're living in tunnels on the hard, cold grounds without anything to keep you warm.

Stifling a yawn, I crawled into the bed. It was even better than I dreamed! I set Adrian up beside me and closed my eyes, relinquishing all thoughts and just slept.

It was the first time since he died that I dreamt about my father.

I saw him, as though he was really standing there in front of me. He smiled, holding out his hand for me. I yearned to take it. As my hand started to reach out towards his, he started drawing away from me.

"Dad!" I called out.

"Come to me, Bella." He whispered. "You'll be safe."

I moved forward but I could no longer see him due to all mist that surrounded him. It left a cloud of white, the air freezing cold. I couldn't see anything and a chill ran down my spine, making me shiver with unease.

"Dad?" I called again.

"I'm here, Bella. Come to me." His voice was a whisper, deafening against the stillness.

"Where, Dad? I can't see." I protested. Before I could even take a step, the mist evaporated and I could see again.

Except I wish I hadn't. I was back in the tunnels, watching as two vampires held my father's arms and another raped my mother. Again I was forced to watch the vampire claw at her breasts and drink from the cut he made at her neck.

Despite that, my mother looked at me with her wide blue eyes, telling me to run. I stood rooted to the spot, watching in horror.

"Run, Isabella!" My father called from where he was crouching. His eyes flickered to me briefly, before turning back to watch them savage his wife.

"Run, my darling." My mother whispered weakly from where she had collapsed on the ground. "Run."

My gaze flickered to my father, his head bowed as two vampires drank from either side of him.

"Isabella." My name was whispered. With one last look at the two people who raised me, I turned my back on them and ran.

I didn't know where I was running. I heard shouts, but I didn't turn my back.

Before I could understand what was happening, I ran into something hard and fell to the ground. A pair of stone cold arms grabbed me and I looked up.

Red eyes were peering down at me, face expressionless. I saw the honey blond hair as I jerked out of his arms.

I sucked in a sharp breath and let out a piercing scream.

I screamed, jerking myself out of the dream.

Sitting up quickly, and gaining a head rush from it, I looked around. For a minute I was confused. Where was I?

Then I remembered. Adrian's cries helped, as well as probably bursting an eardrum. I lifted him up into my arms, holding him close to me as I worked to calm him down. "Don't cry, baby, I'm here. Shhh."

I crawled out of bed as I rocked him. "It's okay, baby. Come on," I whispered.

I knew he must have been starving. I looked around for anything to calm him down. Then I spotted a tray of food. My stomach growled at the sight. Was that for me? I walked to the door, expecting to see someone.

Nothing.

With a shrug, I walked to the tray and lifted a strawberry into my mouth. It tasted like heaven. I spied a bottle of milk for the baby and picked it up. It was still warm. Juggling Adrian and pulling the cap off with my teeth, I pressed the bottle against his lips and watched as he drank.

His little hands gripped the bottle as he sucked and I managed to pop a grape into my mouth.

By the time he was finished, I quickly burped him so I could eat myself. The food, while mostly finger foods, was delicious enough and I was starving.

"What to do now?" I mused, looking around the room. I grimaced at the dress I was wearing. I wished I could take it off but I had nothing underneath it and I had no desire to walk around naked when vampires could come in at any moment.

Speaking of vampires, where was everyone? I knew they could move as quiet as a cat but honestly. It was like the manor was deserted.

Maybe I was better off. Okay, maybe not. I was in an unknown place, surrounded by beings that could potentially drain me if I did something wrong. That was not an ideal predicament.

I picked Adrian up, now sleeping, and walked over to the door. Just as I was about to leave, I heard footsteps, alerting me to a visitor, and looked up into a pair of glowing red eyes.

**JPOV**

I returned home from Carlisle's, sensing tension coming from somewhere inside my house. That was odd.

As I walked inside, I immediately noticed a scent different from all the others. _Freesia and strawberries_. It was the scent of a human.

Peter must be back.

As I made my way to the library, where Peter usually lounged, I found him in a heated argument with Charlotte. I found that strangely amusing. Peter and Charlotte were always found doing only one of two things. Either they were fighting or they were having crazy monkey sex. The lust that usually rolled off them was enough to drive me away.

But this time was different. Whatever they were arguing about seemed to be making them both frustrated as shit.

"Ahem." Clearing my throat, I finally decided to clue them in on my presence.

They jumped away and both looked over at me, their eyes blazing with emotion.

"Jasper!" They scolded each other.

"Would either of you care to explain to me what all the hostility is for?" I asked, crossing my arms as I leaned against the doorframe, staring at the two of them.

"No."

"Is this a lover's quarrel because I can leave…?" I offered.

"Peter brought home a human baby!" Charlotte blurted out.

"Charlotte!"

I looked at them both, my gaze flicking back and forth between the two. "I'm sorry, what?" I think my hearing has gone bad. But that's not possible for a vampire.

"Peter brought a human baby with him when he came back from the Centre."

"Why the hell would you want to do that?" I demanded, turning my anger on Peter. He stared back without flinching.

"Listen to what I have to say before you start projecting, Jasper."

Usually, I liked having Peter around. He put me in place. Right now, I wanted to rip his fucking head off.

"Peter, I want you to answer me, right now, before your head is forcibly removed from your body."

He stared back at me and nodded his head once. "Yes Jasper, but first, you should go and see the girl for yourself."

I didn't like having Peter tell me what to do. Who the hell did he think he was? I was the master of this manor and he knew exactly what would happen if he disobeyed me.

"Just go have a look. The girl is sleeping. She won't even know you're there."

I growled at him. "Where is she?"

"East wing. You should be able to find her by her heartbeat."

"Or her scent." I grumbled on my way out the door. I heard them chuckle behind me, amusement finally replacing all the hostility between them.

I followed the path of her scent, still stronger and more potent than anything else in this dreary manor.

In one of the rooms across from my study, her smell mixed with something else. I couldn't quite place it but as I pushed opened the door, I saw her lying on the bed, buried beneath the enormous quilt. I immediately noticed the source of the second scent. A little boy, maybe five or six months old was lying beside her. His scent was that of pure innocence.

I don't know how long I stayed there. Then, realizing how stupid I was being, I turned my back and left. So what if the human girl had an enticing scent? I wasn't about to be drawn in by her smell, no matter how wonderful she smelled.

I would not allow a pitiful little human girl drive me insane. I had other, more important, things to think about. Starting with Peter.

Finding him was pretty easy. He was in the seldom used kitchen, putting food on a tray. "So, what did you think?" He asked without bothering to look at me.

"It's kind of hard to form an opinion of someone who is asleep."

He shrugged and poured some white liquid, which I soon realized was milk, into a bottle and put it in the microwave to heat up.

"I found her rather amusing when she's sleeping. She talks." He chuckled.

"Peter," I said coldly. "What were you thinking, bringing a human child here? Have you gone crazy?"

"No." he said, finally turning to look me in the eye.

"Then please, enlighten me. Why the hell would you do something so stupid?" I growled, annoyed by his constant movement.

"That baby is all she has." Peter explained slowly. "I couldn't very well let them kill the child. That is ruthless and a waste of a warrior."

My interest peaked, despite trying to keep my anger under control. "What are you talking about?"

He shook his head, as though the answer was obvious. "When there is a child around during infancy, it is easier to train them as they get older. Train them to be warriors and protectors. Then, when they reach a certain age, change them into a vampire and voila. You've got an exceptionally gifted vampire warrior."

While that seemed like an accurate conclusion, he was missing one important aspect. "Are you forgetting the part where newborns are unpredictable and strong as shit?"

Peter didn't answer. I felt smug when, knowing I had him.

"Why are you so determined to let an innocent child die because he was unfortunate to be born in a time when humans were far and gone? And to make matters even worse, he was born male. At least the females have a chance at survival."

That wiped the smug look off my face. I tested Peter's emotions. He was serious about his argument but I also felt a tiny sliver of smugness that he was trying to bury deep.

"When have I ever agreed to the way humans are treated, Peter? I may be a cold hearted bastard but at least I know that using humans as sex slaves is worse than death."

Peter sighed and ran a hand over his face. "Look Jasper. It's your decision. If you want to take the child back to the Centre and sentence him to his death, by all means, do it. But just remember, Bella loves that child more than anything. If she has any clue about what you're going to do, she might disappear and head back to the tunnels again."

Before I could even ask what the hell he was talking about, he took the bottle of milk out of the microwave, set it on the tray and left the kitchen.

I stood rooted in spot, considering Peter's words.

The only way to get the answer I needed was the wait for the girl to wake up. I rubbed my eyes, emotionally exhausted from the way things have turned out.

Who knew things could get this complicated?

"Charlotte?" I called my voice no louder than it usually is. I knew wherever she was in the manor, she'd hear me.

"What is it, Jasper?"

"I want you to call the other vampires into the conference room. I have things to discuss with them that I need to do before the human wakes up."

"Of course, Jasper." she flashed me a smile and turned to leave. "Oh, and her name is Bella."

~*~

As the vampires gathered around the room, some looking nervous, others curious, I knew I had my work cut out for me.

How was I going to explain to a group of blood sucking leeches—yes, I know I'm insulting myself with that—that they are to leave the human alone? In their eyes, humans are our food source. Why should be spare them?

I laughed at myself when I thought about the answer. With all the humans that are dying because of us, the human population is dwindling and soon there won't be any left. And now that the vampires are killing off the male children, there is no way for repopulation. Honestly, the Volturi were being such idiots.

"Jasper?" Charlotte's sharp voice broke through my thoughts and I looked at her. "Everyone's here."

"Good." I stood up and cleared my throat unnecessarily. It was mainly to grab their attention. There were about two dozen vampires in the room, all staring at me with mixed emotions. It was surprising I was able to block it.

"As many of you know, we now have a human girl in the manor. With her, there is also a human child. None of you will touch either of them." I said in a deadly calm voice. "If I so much as hear that you harm either of them, you _will_ be faced with consequences and it will not be pretty. She is not for you to drink from, nor to use her for any," I paused, thinking of the right way to phrase this. "Physical activity."

There was disappointment radiating off some of the male vampires.

"Do we have an understanding?" I asked gruffly.

They all nodded and spoke their yeses in a quiet voice. "Good, now get back to your duties."

Once they were gone, I leaned back into the leather chair and put my feet up on the desk. Sometimes I wondered why I allowed these vampires into the manor. Some of them were here as a favour. Now that vampires are free to roam around without having to worry about humans, they need places to go. Most of the vampires here were vampires that were part of my guard. Seeing how everyone calls me the God of War, it's obvious to assume that many of them want to take me out. They're afraid of me, hence the reason for the guard.

There was so much going on through my mind I barely registered the scream coming from upstairs, followed by the pounding heart of the human girl. Next was the unmistakable sound of a child crying. I winced, remembering…

Charlotte came inside, her face expressionless, but I knew. She was remembering as well.

"Bella is awake, if you wanted to go and talk to her."

I nodded my head once but made no move to get up. I simply listened as she talked to the child and calmed him down. Her heart gradually started to slow as she moved daintily across the room.

I simply listened, lost in my own thoughts. Was it such a big deal to have the human child grow up here?

It was time to meet the human for myself. Standing up, I made my way slowly toward the room. It was strange to be around a human again. I haven't been around one in many years. Not since—

No! Don't think about her! Pain overtook me I staggered against the wall, surprised by the sheer strength of it.

Stop it, I scolded myself. It was a long time ago. She's gone and she isn't coming back.

I made my way towards the room. Just as I was about to walk into the room, the human came out and looked up at me.

I was startled by her. If I didn't know any better, I could have sworn she was a vampire.

She was very fair-skinned, with long, straight, dark brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. Her face was heart-shaped and she had a wide forehead with a widow's peak, large, wide-spaced eyes, prominent cheekbones, a thin nose and a narrow jaw with a pointed chin. Her lips are a little out of proportion, a bit too full for her jaw line. Her eyebrows are darker than her hair and straighter than they are arched. She was at least five foot four and slender but not at all muscular.

She was absolutely beautiful.

I recoiled at that thought. I didn't need to be attracted to this little human.

"You must be Bella."

Fear coursed through her. I could understand the reason for her fear but the level of fear she was projecting. She clutched the child to her chest and avoided my gaze.

"Yes." She whispered.

"I am Jasper, the Master of the manor."

**Please review**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N Okay, don't kill me. I'm sooooo sorry it's late. I've been so busy with school and essays that I haven't had time to write. Here's the chapter. Enjoy**

**A/N 2 Oh, and this chapter hasn't been beta-ed so please forgive any and all spelling/grammer mistakes **

Chapter 4

**BPOV**

I avoided the red eyes and clutched Adrian to my chest. This was the very same vampire that was in my dream and he scared the shit outta me.

While I was completely scared shitless, I couldn't help but wonder why I had a dream of him when I've never even met him before. It was truly very strange and one that I didn't have any desire to actually figure out.

"You must be Bella." He said in a velvet smooth voice.

I nodded my head once. "Yes."

"I am Jasper. The Master of the Manor."

Shit, I wasn't expecting that. I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath. There was no way I'd be able to face him alone.

"There's no reason for you to fear me!" he snapped. "I'm not going to hurt you."

I cringed away instinctively and held Adrian closer against me.

He sighed in frustration. "Come with me. I wish to speak with you." he turned his back without another word and started walking.

I followed behind immediately, struggling to keep up. Why did he have to walk so fast? He must have realized I was dragging behind because he stopped and waited. I breathed a sigh of relief. I did not want to get in a place like this.

I never thought I'd be the one to say this but I defintely missed the tunnels. As comfortable as the beds were, I'd rather sleep on the cold tunnel floors than a bed in a house full of vampires.

Jasper led me into a room filled with books. In the middle of the room was a magnificent mahogany desk with a leather chair behind it. The room was lit with gas lamps that hung on each side of the room. It was so beautiful. There were even leather chairs to curl up on and read if you so desired.

"Have you read all these books?" I asked tentatively. I didn't know whether or not it was okay to talk but my curiosity got the better of me.

Jasper looked up at me. I couldn't read the look on his face but I didn't stare at him long enough to actually decipher it.

"Yes. I have." He said coolly. "Do you read?"

"No." I said, staring at one of the shelves. While I do know how to read, I've never been given the chance to. My father taught me how when I was a child but we never had books of our own, for obvious reasons. Dad would tell me all sorts of made up stories in order to help me sleep. Something about the gentle tenor of his voice was soothing when I was scared of the things going on around us.

Oh, what I wouldn't give to sit in one of those chairs and get lost in a book that was completely different from this nightmare. Even if I could only read for an hour, that would be heaven enough.

"I see." He leaned back in his chair and stared at me hard. "Tell me Bella, have you ever seen vampires before you got to the Centre?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Yes."

"Is that so? When?"

Was he really going to make me answer? Judging from the expression on his face, my guess was yes.

"A couple of years ago. Before my parents died." While that wasn't exactly true, it wasn't an outright lie.

He stared at me hard. "How is it a girl like you has been able to stay hidden from the vampires?"

I finally looked him in the eye, fighting with myself to keep from flinching. "My father was very good at keeping us safe."

He nodded his head. "You're a rather special case." He said, his gaze flickering to Adrian. "I have been debating whether or not I should take the child back to the Centre. See, what use do we have to keep a child? And a child that doesn't even belong to you, if I'm not mistaken."

Horror washed over me. They were going to take Adrian back to that place? To die? He was just an innocent baby.

"You can't do that!" I hissed, anger taking over. "If you even try to take him away, you'll have to kill me first."

Surprisingly, that wasn't as frightening as I expected it to be.

He didn't seem even the least bit fazed by my threat, which annoyed the hell outta me. But than again, I'm just a slave he could easily replace if he wanted am I to anyone but a dirty human girl with no family? He just stared at me with a calculating look on his face.

"Peter was right."

I stiffened but I refused to ask him what he was talking about. He could go burn in hell for all I cared.

"So tell me, Bella. What is it that you do?" he asked, peering up at me. When I said nothing, he continued. "Do you cook?" I shook my head. "Do you clean?" Again, I shook my head.

He was getting frustrated. "Then what exactly can you do?"

"I can survive."

He pinched the bridge of his nose. It was a weird thing to see him do. Is it possible that I'm _actually _annoying the big, bad vampire?

"Fine." He said abruptly. "You will work with Charlotte. You will do what she says and you will be responsible for the child." He stood up straight, his hands on the desk. At that moment, he definitely looked like a vampire. "You will call me Master or Sir. Anything else and you will be punished. You are to speak only when spoken to. Speak out of term and you will be punished accordingly. If you don't do as you're told, you will be punished. If one of us don't like your behaviour, you will be punished. Do we have an understanding?"

Punishment? I shivered as I thought about all the horrific things he could do as a punishment.

"Do you understand?" He snapped.

I nodded my head quickly. Chancing a peek out of the window, I noticed how dark it's gotten. I also noticed how tired I was. Adrian squirmed in my arms.

"Your work will start in the morning. I suggest you relax tonight. You won't have this opportunity again."

"Yes, sir."

He waved me out and I turned my back. I breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't taking Adrian away. Yes, this was a nightmare but at least I don't have to live in fear anymore.

I made my way back the way we came. I walked into the adjoining bathroom and started the water. I could live without a shower but Adrian needed one.

Washing the grub and dirt off of him took at least twenty minutes. Washing him was hard! He wouldn't stop clapping his hands. In addition getting the floor wet, he got half my gown wet as well.

I breathed a sigh of relief when he was wrapped in a towel. Now, if only I had clothes.

**JPOV**

I had watched with amazement as the human girl stood there in front of me, acting the way she was. Her strength was admirable. Her threat was laughable.

It would be too easy to kill her. But that is not what I wanted. I have never seen such dedication or love for one person. I knew from her emotions that she was beyond serious. She protected the child with everything that she had.

"So tell me, Bella. What is it that you do?" I asked, staring at her. When she said nothing, I frowned. "Do you cook?" She shook her head. "Do you clean?" Again, she shook her head.

My frustration was raising. This human girl was getting under my skin and I wanted her out of my sight before anything else could happen. "Then what exactly can you do?"

"I can survive."

Her words sparked interest but I squashed it down. That was similar to something Peter mentioned. I'd have to ask him what it was.

"Fine." I said irate. "You will work with Charlotte. You will do what she says and you will be responsible for the child. You will call me Master or Sir. Anything else and you will be punished. You are to speak only when spoken to. Speak out of term and you will be punished accordingly. If you don't do as you're told, you will be punished. If one of us don't like your behaviour, you will be punished. Do we have an understanding?"

Finally I felt the fear. Besides the first meeting, this was the first time that I've felt anything resembling fear. She was a strange, interesting girl.

When she didn't answer, I tested her emotions.

"Do you understand?"

She nodded her head quickly and I noticed she pulled the baby even closer. The fear was the last thing on her mind. From her emotions, she was mainly tired.

"Your work will start in the morning. I suggest you relax tonight. You won't have this opportunity again."

"Yes sir."

I waved her away. I was irriated by her already. "Charlotte!" I called.

She came into the room, paused and shook her head. "You wanted to see me, Jasper?"

"Yes. I've been thinking. I want you to move Isabella into the servant quarters."

I felt her surprise, followed by concern spike as she registered my words. "Is that really such a good idea?" she asked. "A human surrounded by vampires. Won't that be dangerous?"

I nodded my head in acknowledgment. "They will not touch her. They already know what will happen if something does happens to her."

While she didn't argue, I could sense the disapproval in her emotions. "What about the baby?"

"He will stay with her." I leaned back and put my feet up on the desk. "Now Charlotte, you will be the one working with her. Until she is used to doing things for herself, you will show her what she needs to be doing."

At least she didn't argue with this.

"Have you told her about the last part?"

I shook my head. The idea of using her as a blood donor wasn't exactly my ideal use of the human. But I had no choice in the matter. Drinking from her will not cause death or transformation as long as I don't get venom into her veins. "I will tell her when I am ready. But right now, I want you to bring Peter to me. We have some unfinished business to attend to."

Charlotte nodded stiffly and left the room.

While I waited, I could hear Bella's soft voice singing a lullaby. _"Sleep, pretty baby, do not cry, and I'll sing you a lullaby."_

I was so caught up in the tone of her voice that I didn't hear Peter come inside until he cleared his throat. "You wanted to see me, Jasper?"

"Yes." I straightened up and stared at him with a hard look. "I want you to tell me everything you know about Bella. I am tired of hearing things about her that make no sense to me."

I could feel his amusement before he sqaushed it down. Smart move on his part.

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything." I growled.

"All right, all right." He sat down in the chair and stared at me with a hard expression. "When I went to the Centre, I was looking for someone who I thought could handle being surrounded by vampires. I wanted her to have a certain strength about her that stood out, even to me.

"I was walking and watching all sorts of girls. Bella stood out the most from all the girls. She appeared so much older than her years and fought back against another girl who started an argument." He paused, giving me a chance to think through. I waved him on to continue. "I asked Bella if she knew who I was because she didn't appear to be frightened. I found that very strange. When she didn't, that surprised me further."

_I_ was surprised by this. Almost everyone knew Peter by association to me.

"Galen"—I growled at the name—"Told me that Bella was found in the underground tunnels. Apparently she has spent her entire life down there. It was quite a shock to hear that. She doesn't seem like the kind of girl that grew up in the tunnels."

I had to agree. Bella was strong and brave. Most of the females that have been found in the tunnels were frightened and scared of every little thing.

Now I understood what Bella was talking about when she said she could survive. All the things that I asked her, she didn't know how to do because she's never done them for herself. "How strange that someone so tiny and fragile could spend so many years alone and still be the way that Bella is. It is unusal." Peter mused.

I nodded my head.

"Well Peter. This should be a very interesting setup."

"Touche."

**BPOV**

I should have known this setup wouldn't last long, I thought as I followed Charlotte through the manor and towards the basement. I shivered as we walked. The farther down we went, the colder it got. Actually, this entire place is cold. It doesn't feel like a home. The walls alone are enough proof that while people do live here, it is a place to work and rest, away from the rest of the world.

When Charlotte stopped at a door, I shifted Adrian so he was mostly shielded from the vampires. There was no way in hell they were going to get anywhere near him.

"You don't have to worry. They're not going to do anything."

I didn't exactly agree with that but I offered no opinion on the matter. Charlotte opened the door and stepped inside. Swallowing back my nerves, I followed her and looked around.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized that these vampires were all women. For some reason it didn't sit well with me if I had to be surrounded by male vampires. They all stopped what they were doing and looked at me.

I barely had time to register them because I was looking around. The room itself was rather on the small side, considering how many females were in there. There were twelve cots on both sides of the room, lined up with a walkway straight through the middle. I wondered briefly why vampires even had beds. They didn't sleep. It just took up space.

"Yes, yes, this is the human." Charlotte's voice brought me out of my head. "Her name is Bella and the child is Adrian. You will not by any means touch this girl. If I see any mark made on her skin, I will find out who did it and you will be punished. Master Jasper has no patience for disobedience. You will go on with your every day lives."

The vampires all started talking over each other. I winced at their silky smooth voice. I remember something my father used to tell me before he died. If you hear a voice that is too sweet and smooth, it is a vampire. We are their prey and they are the predators. That is the way of life now.

"ENOUGH!"

I held Adrian tight against me as he started wiggling in alarm. I held him tight against my chest, whispering that everything was okay.

The room fell silent and I shivered. No one moved or even looked my way. Finally, Charlotte spoke. "These were Master Jasper's orders. I won't tolerate any of you going against his wishes. If you have any reason against her, you will come to me. I want all of you to leave her alone unless you wish to get to know her. The baby is completely off limits, unless said so by Bella herself. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Charlotte." They all said.

"Good." She turned to me. "Isabella, get a good night sleep. I expect you up by sunrise."

"Yes, ma'am." I swallowed. She nodded and turned her back to leave.

Once she was gone, everyone in the room went back to whatever they were doing and ignored me like I wasn't there. While it was a little frightening, I was also relieved.

With a sigh, I looked at Adrian. He looked sleepy. I felt sleepy but I was too nervous to sleep. Not with all these females around. "Sleep, little prince, dream good dreams." I whispered to Adrian, tucking him into the cot that we had to share. It wasn't so bad since Adrian was so tiny but there wasn't much room to move around.

Fighting back a yawn, I leaned against the wall and watched Adrian sleep.

~*~

I don't know how long I was staring at Adrian until I fell asleep myself.

All I know is that I was woken with a painful jerk and my stomach was growling with hunger. I squinted and saw a young girl, obviously a vampire, staring down at me. "It's sunrise. You'd better be getting up now."

I sat up and stretched my arms. I was sore and utterly exhausted. I wasn't sure if I could handle this.

"Master Peter brought you breakfast."

Immediately perking up at the mention of breakfast, I stood up. "Where?"

She pointed to the table across from the cot. On it was just a bowl and some water but it was better than nothing, which is exactly what I'm used to.

There was even a bottle of warm milk for Adrian. I was going to have to find a way to thank Peter for this.

Spooning the porriage, I walked over to Adrian, who was wide awake and staring up at the dark ceiling.

"Good morning, little man." I whispered, putting the already empty bowl on the floor. "How are you this morning?"

To my horror, he started wailing. "No, baby, please don't cry. Everything's okay." I begged, picking him up. I cradled him in my arms, silently begging whatever god would listen that he settle down. "It's okay, Adrian. Nothing's going to hurt you. You're safe."

I rocked him gently in arms, kissing every inch of his face and thoroughly wiping the tears away.

After ten minutes, Adrian settled down and snuggled into my arms. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are you finished, Isabella?"

Charlotte's voice shattered the moment of peace. I jerked up and stared at her. "Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry."

Her eyes narrowed. "I'll forgive you for today, as it's your first day, but afer this, no more. You will be ready when asked, or you will be punished."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good." She motioned for a girl to come over. "Sadie, I want you to take the baby."

"Yes, mistress."

"Follow me, Isabella. It's time to get started."

I followed Charlotte out of the basement. And so it begins, the torture that is the vampires.

**Okay ya'll. That's it. I hope it was worth the wait. Jasper and Bella finally meet. Tell me what you think. Review Please. **


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Enjoy. **

Chapter 5

**BPOV**

I silently followed Charlotte up the stairs and towards the study. I wanted to ask her what I was going to do but the way she was behaving made me a little scared.

Stop being such a wuss! I snapped at myself. The only way I could handle being here is if I didn't show any fear. It seemed like a logical solution but it was easier said than done.

The door to the study opened and Peter stepped out. "Good morning, Bella."

"Morning, Peter."

"Something wrong?" he asked, studying my face.

I shook my head. "I'm just peachy." I forced a smile but I knew he saw right through me.

"Yeah. Right." he snorted. "Well Jasper wants to talk to you before you start."

I nodded my head and swallowed back the panic. I knew whatever he was going to tell me wasn't going to be good.

"Don't worry, Bella. It isn't bad."

While I didn't believe him, I nodded my head anyway. Charlotte led me inside and I saw Jasper staring out the window. There were rays of sun coming in. I stared in awe as he sparkled. He looked different than Peter did in the sunlight. It was frightening and amazing at the same time.

Jasper turned around and looked at me, raising his eyebrow. I flushed and immediately looked away.

"So Bella, how was your night?"

I wasn't sure if he wanted me to answer or not so I stayed silent.

"We need to talk about something." he moved away from the window and walked to the desk. "Take a seat."

Biting my lip, I moved to the leather chair and sat down, staring down at my clasped hands.

"You don't have to be frightened Bella. I'm not going to do anything."

How is it he always seemed to know what I was feeling? It sent a shiver down my spine.

"Do you know what blood donors are?"

I stiffened at the question and looked up to meet his eye. I noticed that the red had started to fade a little around the pupil. I nodded once to his question.

"Good." he nodded and stared at something over my head. "Now, I will be drawing blood from you, every couple of days." He paused to let it sink in.

Now I realized exactly why I was here. God, why me? What did I do wrong?

"You have nothing to fear, Isabella. If you're afraid I won't be able to stop, that isn't an issue."

I wasn't but now that he mentioned it…

"If it eases your worries, I will only drink a little from you. Taking small portions of blood every few days will not cause any damage to you." he looked at me. I nodded my head quickly. I had no choice in the matter. If I fight him, it will only be more painful.

Wait! Was it going to happen now? Panic struck me and I trembled with fear.

"You can relax, Isabella. It will start tomorrow."

That doesn't help me adjust to the idea but okay.

"Is that all, Jasper?" Charlotte asked from behind me.

"Yes, Charlotte. Thank you."

"Come, Isabella. You will be working with Rhiannon today." I followed behind Charlotte as she explained who Rhiannon was. "She is in charge of the laundry."

Laundry?

~*~

Turns out, laundry was nothing more than washing clothes. By hand.

While my hands were already calloused and rough from my time in the tunnels, I knew this would destroy them. Rubbing, washing, hanging. That's all there was to it.

"Rhiannon. This is Isabella. She will be helping you today." Charlotte introduced.

I peeked up at the vampire. She was tall, at least 5'7 with fiery red hair and gold eyes. My head lifted and I openly stared at the woman. Her gold eyes were mesmerizing. I've never seen eyes that color before. It was usually crimson red or onyx.

The vampire smiled gently. "Surprised?"

Remembering where I was, I immediately looked down. "I'm sorry."

She laughed lightly. "Do not fret, little one. I get that reaction all the time."

I looked around for Charlotte. "Where did Mistress Charlotte go?"

"She has gone to see to everyone else." Rhiannon said gently. "Come, child. Let's see what you can do." She took my hand in her and led me further into the room. "Have you done this before?" she asked.

I shook my head. "No ma'am."

She laughed. "You don't have to call me ma'am, Isabella. Here, I am Rhiannon."

I flushed in embarrassment.

Rhiannon laughed softly and pulled me down beside her. "Now, watch carefully." I watched as she took a white shirt put it into the water and began kneading it until the soap absorbed into the fabric.

Once she finished, she had me start. Imagine my surprise when I dipped my hand into the water and burned it.

I yanked it out with a cry.

"What is it?" Rhiannon asked quickly.

"The water. It's burning hot." I moaned and held my red, aching hand against my chest.

"Oops." She looked a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Bella. I forgot how hot the water would have been against your skin." She took my hand and pressed both palms against it, easing the pain almost immediately with her cold hands. "Better?" she asked.

I nodded though it still stung.

"Hmm. I need to find some sort of salve to put on those burns."

She disappeared for a moment and then came back with some aloe vera leaves. She spread it on my hand. The cool plant felt nice against my skin.

"Thank you." I said.

She smiled and nodded. "I'll keep the water at a reasonable temperature from now on."

I nodded my head in acknowledgement. "Can I ask you a question?" I asked after a couple of minutes.

"Of course." she didn't look up from what she was doing. "What's wrong, little one?"

"Why are you being so nice to me?" That was the first question out of my mouth. I had plenty but that was the one I was musing over.

"We all deserve a little kindness in this life." She said. "You shouldn't be treated like shit just because you're a human. Believe it or not but I had a similar experience."

I listened as I hung up the clothes. "I fell in love with a vampire when I was human. This was just after the revolution finished. When the Volturi, the royal family, found out about me, they killed him and turned me." she turned to face me with a sad smile. "Despite what you think about Jasper, he is a good man. He gave me a job here and doesn't force anything on me."

"Is that the reason why your eyes are gold and not red?"

She nodded. "I don't hunt humans. There are few vampires that are vegetarians."

"Vegetarians?"

Rhiannon chuckled. "It means we hunt animals. While it isn't as satisfying as human blood, I don't think I'd be able to handle having a human die simply to sate a thirst that could so easily be done with animal blood."

I could see that reasoning.

Neither of us spoke for a couple of minutes. "Do you have any other questions, Bella?"

"Um, a few." I admitted sheepishly.

"Don't be afraid to voice your questions, Bella. I'm not going to hurt you." she smiled at me reassuringly.

"Vampires don't sleep, right?" I asked. She nodded in confirmation. "Then how come there are cots in the servants quarters?"

"Oh." Rhiannon laughed. "While vampires don't sleep, during the night, they enjoy lying down and being able to rest and relax. Some of the women have mates as well and they need a bed for their… physical relationship."

Physical…? Realization dawned on me and my face flushed bright red.

Rhiannon and I didn't speak for the rest of the morning. By mid-afternoon, my stomach growled with hunger.

"Time to feed the human, I suppose." She chuckled. "Why don't you head outside for lunch?" she suggested.

"Am I allowed to do that?" I asked nervously.

"Of course, Bella."

I headed outside, relishing the warmth on my skin. "Bella?" I turned around and saw Peter with, to my surprise, Adrian.

"Why do you have Adrian? Did something happen?" I took the baby out of his arms and he immediately curled up against me.

"No, he's been very good. Charlotte suggested we put him in a backpack so you can carry him around." he chuckled. He must have seen the look of horror on my face because he laughed outright. "I told her no, of course."

"Thank you." I smiled in relief and pressed a kiss to Adrian's head.

"Your lunch is over there." he pointed to the garden.

I lifted Adrian up and walked over to the blanket.

My stomach rumbled gratefully at the sight of the food. I bit into an apple slice and moaned as the juice quenched my thirst.

Adrian sat in my lap, his head on my chest as he stared up at the sky.

"Bella, how are you feeling?"

"Fine." I lied.

"I don't believe you. I spoke to Jasper. I heard about what you two talked about."

"Oh." I looked away. "It doesn't bother me."

"You can't lie to me Bella. I know this is bothering you."

"Alright." I put the piece of bread down and held Adrian against my chest. "I'm absolutely terrified." I admitted softly.

He leaned forward and stared at me with his blood red eyes. Surprisingly, this didn't bother me as much anymore. "There's nothing to be afraid of Bella. It doesn't hurt. If you don't fight him, it is gentle. Jasper would never do anything to hurt you deliberately."

I bit my lip.

"It really isn't so bad, Isabella."

"How would you know?" I asked. "Has it ever happened to you?"

Peter shrugged. "No."

"Then you can't really say that, can you?"

"Maybe not. But I know Jasper."

**JPOV**

"What do you think about Bella?" I asked Charlotte. She was sitting across from me in the living room, reading through the paper.

"She's very quiet." Charlotte said. "But Rhiannon seems to like her a lot."

"Really?" That intrigued me. Rhiannon seemed to have a blatant dislike for almost everyone in the house. The fact that she befriended a human is very out of character.

She nodded. "I went down there to check on her, just to see how Bella was doing. They were talking and laughing. I didn't stay long since I knew she wasn't in any trouble."

"It's very strange to see how easily she's adapting around here, especially since she was so afraid when she first got here." I mused.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure she's still terrified. There's something about her that makes you see a different side of her." Charlotte disagreed. "She doesn't allow others to see the part of her she deems weak but behind closed doors, she's just a frightened young girl with no one to take care of her."

Hearing Charlotte say that, while I had to agree, was discouraging. "She seems to have taken to Peter quite nicely."

She nodded her head. "Peter feels strangely protective of her. It's a side of him I've only seen around you or me."

"You're worried."

"Just a little."

"What exactly are you worried about?"

"Honestly?" she sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I have no idea."

"I think you just don't want Peter to get hurt." I said. "Humans die. They grow old, get sick. It's inevitable. If Peter gets emotionally involved, he may not be ready to let her go."

She seemed to be mulling over that. "I suppose you're right."

"There isn't much we can do, Charlotte. But I think you should talk to him." I suggested.

"I think I'll go now." She stood up and headed to the door. "You don't need me for anything do you?"

"No. Go talk to your mate."

She smiled and left.

~*~

Bored of looking over the same documents, I decided to check on Bella. Charlotte said she would still be doing laundry with Rhiannon so I headed out to see for myself.

I heard soft giggling the closer I got to the laundry room. I looked inside, surprised to find Bella hanging up the clothes that Rhiannon gave to her.

"Bella, how did you live so many years in the tunnels?"

I leaned against the wall, intending to eavesdrop. I don't know why I was feeling guilty but I squashed it down anyway.

"I had to." Bella said, answering the question. "My parents sacrificed their lives to keep me safe. I knew at a young age how dangerous this world could be. My father was never one to sugarcoat the bad things. He figured that being aware of everything early on, I'd be able to take care of myself if something ever happened to them." she sighed and looked down at the floor. "I think he knew he would die. But having to watch it happen," she shuddered. "It was the worst experience of my life."

"How old were you?"

"I don't know." She admitted. "I think I was fifteen, maybe. There isn't really any way to keep track of dates when you're living in tunnels."

"Why did you take Adrian with you?" Rhiannon asked, stroking the baby's plump little cheek as he slept. He was lying in a pile of pillows with a sheet covering him.

"He was all alone." She whispered. "I guess being alone after all that time, I was desperate for company, even if he was only a little baby."

"He would have died anyway."

"I know."

Rhiannon was studying Bella as she hung up the sheets. "You don't have to be alone anymore, Bella." She said softly. "You aren't alone anymore."

"Sometimes it feels like that." She said. "Sometimes I debated killing myself, just to end my miserable life. It's been so hard."

I felt her pain and it made me angry to think about Bella ending her life. It was too easy to kill yourself as a human. There were so many ways! It was so much harder as a vampire, if not impossible now. Many times, before the Revolution, I considered ending my life. To end this horrible existence. That all changed when I met _her._ God, I missed her. I hope she doesn't hate me for the horrible things that I've done. I never did deserve her love.

"You're so lucky, Rhiannon." Bella said softly.

She chuckled darkly. "How so?"

"Have you ever regretted the time you spent with that vampire you loved?" she asked, ignoring the question.

There was silence and I listened with interest. I've never really heard much about Rhiannon's past. She didn't like to speak about it. But to tell a human, that is almost unheard of.

"Never." She admitted. "I would have given up my life than change the short time I had with Kyle."

"I wish I had something like that. To feel a love that strong." Bella sighed and I felt her sadness radiating off her. "My father used to tell me stories about how he met my mother. Their love was so pure. I've always wanted what they had." I heard her sniffling and I realized she was crying. "And now I'll never have the chance."

Rhiannon stood and drew Bella away from the sheets and into a hug.

Swallowing back my guilt, I turned my back and left. I didn't want to hear anymore.

**RPOV** (Rhiannon)

Poor Bella. I held her close and let her cry on my shoulder. She didn't deserve any of this. She was so young and so completely innocent. Times are bad, there's no denying it. She is caught in period where humans are afraid and vice-versa. Maybe in a few years (and by a few I mean a hundred), things will be different. But by then, Bella will be gone. Life truly is unfair for her. I stroked her hair softly, humming a song Kyle used to sing to me to help me sleep.

**A/N Okay. That's all. I personally don't like this chapter but tell me what you think and review. **

**Oh, and thanks to **twilightobession **for the comment with the backpack :) it was a great idea. **


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N Okay so here's the new chapter. I hope you like it. Enjoy.**

Chapter 6

**BPOV**

I slept poorly that night, despite the fact that I was exhausted. Between handling load after load of laundry, and my little breakdown with Rhiannon, I was both physically and emotionally exhausted.

Part of what kept me up most of the night were the things that I told Rhiannon. I haven't had an older female figure in my life for years and Rhiannon was so nice and understanding. I was embarrassed that I cried on her shoulder for as long as I did.

I sighed and looked down at Adrian. He was fast asleep. I chuckled, wondering how someone could sleep this much.

Somewhere during the night, sleep eventually claimed me and I drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

I woke with a start from a dream I couldn't remember. It wasn't the first time I had one of those dreams. I sat up and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes before realizing that Adrian was gone.

In a panic, I jumped out of bed and searched frantically. "Adrian? Adrian?" I called out, hoping in vain to find him anywhere.

"Relax, Isabella. He's fine." Charlotte's voice came out of nowhere and scared the crap outta me.

"Oh!"

She chuckled. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you."

"S'okay." I mumbled, running a hand through the mop of tangles in my hair. "Um… where is Adrian?"

"One of the girls took him. He was crying and they didn't want to wake you."

I wanted to ask why they didn't want to wake me but I didn't. I was completely afraid of Charlotte.

"They knew Jasper was feeding from you this morning." Charlotte answered my unasked question and I stiffened at the reminder.

Fuck, that's right.

The cool mask was in place but inside I was fucking terrified. I know Peter had told me there was nothing to be afraid of but that didn't stop me from freaking out anyway.

I swallowed and looked at her. "When?"

"In an hour." Charlotte said. "Jasper wants you bathed and fed." She looked me up and down. "Come alone, Isabella. I will send for the boy while you bathe."

"Yes, ma'am."

oOo

The bath felt amazing. The warm water helped ease the tense muscles in my back and shoulders and I was able to scrub all the dirt off. The clear water turned a disturbing brown color by the time I was finished.

A towel lay next to the tub and I wrapped myself in it before going to scavenge some clothes to wear. The room beside the bathroom turned out to be a bedroom. Someone —probably Charlotte — hung a dress up on the door. It was a plain blue dress and hung down to my ankles. She even provided a pair of matching blue flats.

Rhiannon came inside holding Adrian in one arm and a tray of food in another. It wasn't like the food I got yesterday. Today, there was fruit and eggs and meat that looked much better than what I was used to.

I'm pretty sure I drooled. "Is that for me?"

She chuckled. "Yes, Isabella. This is for you." she put the tray down and hoisted Adrian up. "Who else in this house eats human food?"

"Adrian." I said in between bites.

"Yes, but Adrian still drinks out of a bottle."

I grinned at her. "God, I've never seen this much food before."

"Never?" she sounded appalled.

I shrugged and chugged down the orange juice. "Mmm."

Rhiannon shook her head sadly and walked over to the window. "Are you ready for today, Bella?"

Suddenly losing my appetite, I shook my head.

"It isn't so bad, you know."

"Have you ever done it before?"

She nodded. "Once." She turned around but stared down at Adrian. "Kyle was a vegetarian. That's the reason I became one when I was turned." She whispered. "He had an extra ability, other than the super speed and strength." She must have seen my look of surprise because she explained. "Some vampires have extra abilities. When you're turned, usually your strongest trait as a vampire is strength.

"Anyway, He could heal human injuries. It was a very useful gift but also very draining." I listened attentively.

"We were going on a hike one morning when we came across a man. He had been hurt by some animal. I don't know what it was but he was left bleeding in the middle of the forest. Kyle used his gift to heal the man but the injury was deeper than he expected and nearly drained all his energy. By the time Kyle got the most sever parts healed, he took the man to the hospital but he was completely drained."

"It was obvious that he needed to hunt but he was unwilling to do it with me around. So I offered him my blood. He was completely adamant not to but he gave in." she smiled lightly. "It was a very intimate experience, truthfully."

Great. Just what I need.

"You don't have to be worried, Bella."

"I've heard."

Rhiannon and I sat in uncomfortable silence while I picked at the food. It looked so appetizing but I feared I would throw up if I ate anything else. A clock chimed somewhere close by. "It's time."

A shiver ran down my spine. "Why do I feel like I'm walking death row?" I mumbled, standing up. I walked over to Rhiannon and took Adrian out of her arms. I kissed his head and held him close for a couple of seconds.

"Bella, it's not like you'll never see him again." Rhiannon said.

"I know." I breathed in his scent. "But I feel better when I have him close by."

She nodded. "You can hold him while we walk. Then I'll take him."

"Thank you."

Rhiannon led me to a portion in the house that I've never seen before. "This is Jasper's private wing. The only people he allows here is Peter and Charlotte. I'm only here because I'm taking you to him."

I nodded but didn't pay much more attention. My stomach clenched in fear. "Don't fret, Isabella." She kissed my head and took Adrian out of my arms. "I'll see you later on."

With a small smile, she turned and left. Biting my lip, I raised my hand to knock on the door, only for it to open before my fist made contact with the wood.

"Isabella." Jasper said coolly. "Come in."

I was relieved to see Peter leaning against the desk with his arms crossed. He smiled when he saw me. "Good morning, Bella."

"Morning." I tried to smile but I don't I was very successful.

"Isabella, why don't you go sit on the bed."

My fear spiked and I took a couple of deep breathes. _Relax, relax, relax…_

Jasper and Peter seemed to be having a silent argument because Peter's body tensed and he finally nodded once.

Peter came over to me and crouched down in front of me. "Bella, I'll see you later, okay?"

I swallowed back my fear and gave a small nod. This would be the first time I was alone with Jasper and that scared the hell out of me.

"It'll be okay." He whispered and brushed his cool lips against my forehead.

Once the door shut behind him, Jasper spoke. "You don't have to be afraid, Isabella. I'm not going to hurt you."

"I know." I squeaked.

He walked over so he was standing in front of me. "Just relax and close your eyes." he instructed. "Don't try and fight me. It will only cause you pain." He looked at me carefully. "Are you ready?"

NO!

"Yes." I closed my eyes and felt the sharp sting of teeth against my neck.

**JPOV**

Fuck, she tasted amazing. In all my years as a vampire, I've never smelled, yet alone tasted, anyone as sweet as Bella.

Bella's tiny hands gripped my elbows, attempting to keep herself upright while I drank from her.

The blood cooled the burn in my throat and then something strange happened: I saw a piece of her past and the emotions she was feeling while it happened. I was watching it happen as though I was there.

"_Bella, it's time for bed." _

"_But Papa, I'm not sleepy." A little voice said. She blinked and rubbed her eyes. _

_A woman laughed behind her. "Your yawns say otherwise, little one." She said, scooping up the child into her arms._

"_Would you like me to tell you a story, Izzie?" The man asked. _

_The child nodded and climbed into the bed. The man slid in behind her under the blanket while the woman rested on top on the child's other side. _

"_What would you like to hear?" _

"_Anything, Mama." _

_She laughed. "You're too easy to please, little one." She said, stroking the child's thin cheek softly._

"_That's why you love me." _

"_Yes." The man said, holding her close against his body. "Now, let me think." He pondered on a story to tell the child. _

"_Hard by a great forest dwelt a poor wood-cutter with his wife and his two children. The boy was called Hansel and the girl Gretel. He had little to bite and to break, and once when great dearth fell on the land, he could no longer procure even daily bread. Now when he thought over this by night in his bed, and tossed about in his anxiety, he groaned and said to his wife, what is to become of us? How are we to feed our poor children, when we no longer have anything even for ourselves? I'll tell you what, husband, answered the woman, early to-morrow morning we will take the children out into the forest to where it is the thickest. There we will light a fire for them, and give each of them one more piece of bread, and then we will go to our work and leave them alone. They will not find the way home again, and we shall be rid of them. No, wife, said the man, I will not do that. How can I bear to leave my children alone in the forest? The wild animals would soon come and tear them to pieces. O' you fool, said she, then we must all four die of hunger, you may as well plane the planks for our coffins, and she left him no peace until he consented. But I feel very sorry for the poor children, all the same, said the man."_

_The man went on, telling the story about the boy named Hansel and the girl named Gretel until his own child was fast asleep, curled into his side and mumbling words that neither could understand. _

"_Goodnight, my sweet Isabella." The man said. _

"_Charlie, was that really a good story to tell a child?" The woman asked. _

_The man looked at the sleeping child. "It's better for her to understand now and be prepared for the future than wait until she's older with less experience to survive herself."_

_The woman sighed, but nodded her agreement. "Come on, then. Let's get to bed. Who knows what's going to happen tomorrow." _

xXx

I pulled away and looked down at Isabella. Her eyes were closed and she had probably passed out. Unwilling to move her now, I tucked her beneath the blankets and walked to the window. That was the strangest experience I've ever had before. Never in my life had I experienced the past when I've drank from humans. Usually I felt their emotions but I've never seen their memories.

I didn't hear Peter come inside so when he spoke, I growled.

"Jesus." Peter said, backing away. "What's got your panties in a bunch?"

"Fuck off, Peter. Don't start with me. I'm not in the mood."

"What happened?" he asked. "You're usually in a much better mood after you've fed. Did something happen?"

Yes. "No."

I could feel Peter's disbelief but I was annoyed with him already. Sensing that, Peter nodded once and left the room. I walked to the bathroom and washed up now that I was finished but I couldn't seem to get what I saw out of my head. I could finally understand a small portion of Bella's life.

I just hoped that didn't keep happening every time I drank from her.

Looking at Bella, I felt a strange desire to go to her. As hard as I fought, the feeling wouldn't ease up so I gave in and walked over. I sat on the bed, sure to keep some space between us and just stared at her. There was a bruise on her neck from where my teeth had sunk in and she was paler than usual but her breathing was even and she was mumbling something too low for even me to hear.

Subconsciously, Bella rolled over and curled into my side. I froze and stared down at her. It wasn't threatening but I haven't felt a warm body against mine in over a hundred years.

_Stop thinking and just do whatever you want_.

Instead of over analyzing this, I closed my eyes and simply stroked her hair. The tresses were still damp but they were soft and silky. I don't know how long I sat there until there was a knock on the door. Bella was still asleep and my hand had moved down from her hair and began stroking her arm.

I don't know how long I sat like that until Charlotte came inside, closing the door softly behind her.

"Jasper!" she said when she saw me. "What are you still doing here?"

I didn't respond. I was busy thinking about something else. Now that Charlotte was here, I could do something about what's been bothering me. I tried to ease myself away from Bella but she tightened her grip. I briefly wondered how she would react if she knew it was me she was holding on to. The thought made me laugh.

"A little help?"

Charlotte came over and helped lift her arm so I could slide out.

"Jasper,"

"I have to see Carlisle." I interrupted. "I'll be leaving soon. Bella is to stay in this room until tomorrow and make sure she has enough to eat."

She nodded without a word. "Peter is in charge while I'm gone."

"Peter isn't going with you?"

"No." I paused. "If something happens to the girl while I'm gone, get a message to me and lock them in the chamber."

"Yes, Jasper."

I looked back at the girl lying in the bed. "Bring the child. Isabella will want to see him when she wakes up."

"Of course."

**BPOV**

Ugh! Why am I in so much pain?

I didn't want to open my eyes but something heavy and warm crawled across my chest. Opening one eye slowly, I looked down. Adrian's grey eyes peered at me as his fingers dug into my chest.

"Mmm." I wrapped my arms around him and drew him against me until he was lying down.

"Isabella?" I opened my eyes again and looked over at Peter. He was leaning against the desk with a grin on his face.

"Hi, Peter." I didn't try sitting up. I was too weak and my neck was itchy.

"How're you feeling?"

My stomach growled. He chuckled. "Hungry?"

I nodded once and looked around the room. Was I still in Jasper's room?

"Peter, why am I still in here? Where's Jasper?"

"He had to go away for a few days." He said, handing me a tray of food. He helped me sit up so I was somewhat leaning against pillows. "And Jasper told us you were to remain in here until tomorrow."

"What time is it?" I asked, chewing on a slice of cheese.

"About three. You've been asleep for a good portion of the afternoon."

"Oh."

Neither of us spoke as I ate.

"So? How was it?" Peter asked.

I went still and looked at him. "It was… very strange."

"Strange how?"

I bit my lip and thought back to it.

oOo

I could feel Jasper drinking from me but everything started to change when I saw a vision of the past. My past.

I saw my father, telling me it was time for bed and asking him to tell me a story. Both my parents lay on either side of me as Dad told me and I remember feeling so safe and warm.

Then it changed. I was no longer under the tunnels but in a meadow. There were flowers all around and a waterfall in the distance. I turned away and saw two people. One of them was tiny, just a girl with short black hair and wide green eyes, obviously human. She was blushing at the man who sat in front of her.

As I moved closer, I realized that the man was Jasper. He looked so happy, nothing like the man I was used to seeing now. They looked like they were discussing something but I couldn't hear what they were saying.

Something Jasper said made the girl smile wide and she slid into his lap. She ran a hand through his wild blond hair and smiled.

As I got closer, I realized they couldn't see me and I noticed something else different about Jasper. His eyes weren't the alarming burgundy red I was used to but a warm liquid topaz. His eyes burned with love as he held the girl closer to him.

Jasper brushed his lips against the girl's cheekbone and pulled back when the girl said something.

He looked down at his hands, one of which the girl was holding. She was running her fingertips along his hand and pushing up the sleeve of his sweater.

Finally, after a long argument, Jasper nodded once and stood up. I looked away when I realized what he was doing. He was pulling his sweater up and threw it to the ground so he stood, naked from the waist up.

I peeked at him from the corner of my eye and nearly I knew vampires sparkled in the sunlight, there was something different about Jasper. Unlike most, he was glowing. His eyes had narrowed at the look of disgust on the girl's face and put his sweater back on.

The girl stood up — she was even shorter than I originally thought — and cupped his neck, the closest place she could reach.

She whispered something to him and he looked at her with disbelief.

I really wish I could hear what they were saying.

Jasper's shoulders sagged and he wrapped his arms around the girl's tiny waist. He whispered something softly and this- thing I actually heard.

oOo

"Bella?" Peter drew me out of the memory.

"Sorry."

"Where were you?" he asked.

I ignored the question. "Peter? Who's Alice?"

**Sorry about the cliffy. I just couldn't resist. Anyway, Review and tell me what you think!!!!!**


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N Here's the next chapter. Sorry it's late. It hasn't been beta'd. So forgive me if there are any mistakes. **

**Enjoy. **

Chapter 7

**PPOV**

"_Peter? Who's Alice?" _

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Who's Alice?"

"Where did you hear that name, Bella?"

She fidgeted on the bed and wouldn't look at me. "Bella? Where did you hear that name?"

"It happened while Jasper was drinking from me. At first I was seeing a memory of when I was a child. And then I saw Jasper with a girl. I couldn't really hear what they were saying but then I heard Jasper say the girl's name and then I woke up."

I stared at her for a moment. That was the strangest thing I've ever heard before. I didn't even consider the possibility that they could share memories. Not that it's ever happened for me.

But there were stories… No, that's not possible.

"I don't think I should tell you who Alice is. It's not my story to tell."

She snorted. "Yeah, like he would tell me himself." She said under her breath. I think she forgot that I can hear her.

"Bella, did you ever consider that maybe, just maybe, Jasper saw a piece of your past as well?"

She stiffened. Judging from the look on her face, the thought never occurred to her. "Oh, God! You don't think he did, did you Peter?"

"Are you memories really so bad?" I asked.

"Yes." She groaned.

"Why?" I asked. She looked at me strangely.

"Why what?"

"Why are your memories so bad?"

"It's complicated."

"You keep saying that but something tells me it's not."

"Trust me, it's complicated." She groaned and sat back against the pillows, crossing her arms. She peered up at me from beneath her lashes. "So are you going to tell me who Alice is?"

I weighed my options. Knowing Bella, she wasn't going to stop until she got her answers but knowing Jasper, he could rip off my limbs and hide them from me until he got over his anger. And that could be from one week to one year. Should I? Could I?

"Sorry Bella. I can't. This is Jasper's story to tell."

She huffed in annoyance but said nothing more on the subject.

**BPOV**

How come Peter wouldn't tell me who Alice was? I think I had a right to know. If she's going to be invading my thoughts every time Jasper drank from me, didn't I have a right to know exactly who she was?

If Peter wasn't going to tell me, I'll just have to learn for myself. I was going to have to snoop around. That will get me into trouble, without a doubt, but I didn't have any choice in the matter.

I was just going to have to live with the consequences. Even if the idea scared the living hell out of me. Who knows what kind of punishments vampires come up with?

Don't think about it.

Yeah, that wasn't so easy to accomplish. I cleared my head and thought about how I could achieve something this stupid when there was a household of vampires that didn't need to sleep.

"Bella, are you just going to stand there staring at nothing or are you going to help?" Rhiannon said in amusement.

I shook my head and looked at her. "Sorry, Rhiannon. I guess I was distracted."

"About what?"

"Do you know who Alice is?" I asked, taking the dry clothes and folding the sheets.

"I know a little. Why?"

"Just curious,"

She put her hands on her hips. "It's more than that, isn't there, Bella?" she asked. "Come on, tell me."

I knew I could trust her but I was a little afraid that it would get back to Jasper. "If you're worried about Jasper, don't be. He's not here."

"He isn't?" I frowned. "Where is he?"

"He went to see Carlisle."

I heard that name before. "Who's Carlisle?"

"He's an old friend of Jasper's. Now don't change the subject. Why are you so curious about Alice?"

I sat down and sighed. "When Jasper was drinking from me, I saw a piece of his past. He was with a girl. I didn't hear anything they said. All I heard was Jasper say her name and then I woke up."

Rhiannon sat there for a moment, thinking. "You saw a piece of Jasper's past?"

I nodded. "Do you know what that means? Because Peter seems to think that Jasper saw a piece of my past as well."

Rhiannon stiffened. "I don't believe it." She whispered.

"Believe what? Rhiannon, what is it?"

She didn't respond for a moment. "Rhiannon!"

"What? Oh." She shook her head. "Sorry Bella. There are legends about that. Some stories say that if a vampire drinks from a human and sees their memories, it's a sign of soul mates."

"Soul mates?"

"You don't know what a soul mate is?"

"Uh, not exactly." I admitted, embarrassed at my own ignorance.

"It's okay, Bella. There's no need to feel embarrassed." I wondered how she knew I was embarrassed. "Soul mates are people whose soul connects with one another. If what you're saying is true, your soul is connected to Jasper's. It's probably why he took off so suddenly." She mused.

"Can you tell me about Alice, then?"

"I don't know much about her." She admitted. "She died a long time ago."

"How?" I asked.

She shrugged. "I honestly don't know. I don't know much about Alice."

I sighed and put my head on my knees.

"I'm sure everything will work about, Bella."

"I hope so."

oOo

"Miss. Bella." The vampire took my hand in his cold hand and kissed it. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

I shivered at the contact.

"My name is Michael."

I swallowed back the fear and nodded at him. Peter walked down the hall and saw me cornered.

"Michael. We weren't expecting you for another couple of days." He said, drawing me out of the corner.

"Yes, we got here a lot earlier than expected." Michael moved away from me, not wanting to annoy Peter.

I peeked at Peter, confused. He shook his head at my questioning.

"Welcome."

"Where's Jasper?" Michael asked. "I've been looking for him."

"He's not here. He had to leave. He'll be back in a couple of days."

"I see." He turned his gaze to me. "Well, in that case, I would love to get to know Miss. Bella."

"Bella will be working while you're here, Michael."

"She can't work all the time."

"No. But she has other responsibilities. You have to leave Bella alone while you're here, Michael."

"Says who?" Michael asked.

"Jasper," Peter said. "No one is to touch Bella."

Michael walked away indignantly without another word. I breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Peter."

"Don't sweat it. But Bella? Stay away from him. He's dangerous."

"I will." I promised.

oOo

As I spent another day working with Rhiannon, I was glad Charlotte and Peter decided to keep me away from the visiting vampires. I still didn't know why they were here but at least I was safe for the time being.

"Bella? Will you take this up to Jasper's room? I want to change the laundry before he gets back."

I nodded, nervous about heading out myself when there was a house full of vampires that were curious about me. "Don't worry. No one is going to bother you. They know what will happen."

"Okay."

I carried the laundry basket down through the manor, warily. Even now, I was afraid of something happening.

Peter told me that I was safe from the vampires and even Rhiannon told me everything would be okay but that doesn't mean nothing won't happen. I've heard stories. It doesn't make me any less afraid.

Turning down a hallway that was usually deserted, I peeked around. Nothing. This was Jasper's wing. No one was allowed down this way without permission from Peter or Charlotte. Taking a deep, calming breathe, I started walking.

I should have known that something would happen.

"Well, 'ello, Bella."

I dropped the basket and swung around. I recognized the vampire in front of me. It was Michael. Every time I walked into a room where he was, he always leered at me. It surprised me to no end how these vampires with perfect vision were so blind.

His scarlet eyes racked my body and I saw him lick his lips. I shivered as realization crashed over me. We were in a deserted hallway that was rarely used with very few vampires around anywhere else. He could take this chance to do whatever he pleased with me.

And that's exactly what he did.

Michael took a step forward, resulting in me moving backwards. It went like that until I was backed into the wall.

"So beautiful." He lifted a strand of hair and sniffed it. "So delicious."

I swallowed back my fear. "What do you want from me?" I tried to speak with a strong voice but it came out weak.

"You, little human." He leaned back so I could see his pale face and horrible red eyes.

"You see, Jasper is being very unfair." He pressed his body against mine, thoroughly trapping me against the wall. "First he brings a human girl and then tells us that we're not allowed to touch. Then, he gets to drink from said girl. And you, my love, have a very enticing smell, even for a human." He pressed sloppy, open mouth kisses along my neck and I tried in vain to push him away. That only seemed to encourage him more. "Jasper is being a selfish bastard for dangling you in front of us and then pulling you back before any of us could really see."

"I am not a puppet."

"You're right." He agreed, moaning as his hands reached up and cupped my breasts through the dress. "You're a warm blooded human with a tight little pussy I can't wait to dive into."

"Get off of me!" I yelled.

Michael put his hands over my mouth. "Now, now. Don't say that. I'm going to give you something you've never felt before. Just relax. I promise you'll enjoy it."

I felt him struggle with the dress, trying to get it off. I tried to get away from him with no avail.

"Stop struggling!" He yelled. His eyes flashed dangerously, black with desire and rage. "I will have you one way or another. You better get used to it now."

I whimpered. "Please,"

"Please what?"

"Get away from me!" I screamed.

"Not a chance." Through with trying to get the dress off, he ripped it so my breasts were free to him. "Mmm. So perfect."

He lowered his head to my right breast, sucking, licking and nibbling the nipple while he keyed the other. He grinded into me and I could feel his erection against my stomach.

I squeezed my eyes shut tightly until I heard the sound of a zipper. Opening my eyes slowly, I realized why. Michael's pants and boxers were at his ankles, his cock fully aroused.

"Mmm." He moaned. "I can't wait to feel your hot little mouth on my dick."

I whimpered.

Michael shoved me onto my knees but I clamped my mouth shut. "Stop being so stubborn, human. You can't escape from me. There's no one around."

I shook my head, squeezing my eyes shut. _This isn't happening, this isn't happening, this isn't happening… _

Michael grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. "It'll go so much easier if you just bend to my will." He said, stroking my jaw. "I don't have to hurt you but I will if I have to."

Before I could speak, he shoved his dick in my mouth and started thrusting his hips until I felt it touch the back of my throat. Tempted, I bit down hard on it but that only seemed to cause him more pleasure.

"God, yes." He groaned above me.

Finally he came into my mouth, forcing me to swallow.

I felt tainted and dirty as he picked me up off the floor and shoved me up against the wall. His lips moved to my neck and started kissing and sucking. Before I could understand what happened, Michael bit down and started drinking my blood.

I thrashed against him and his hold on my shoulders tightened to a bruising grip.

I did the only thing I could think of. I screamed.

**All right. Ya'll know what do to. Review and tell me what you think :)**


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N Okay. Wow. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I got somewhere around fifty six reviews. Because you guys are so awesome, I decided to update. And because you are all so impatient. **

**Enjoy. **

Chapter 8

**JPOV**

I spent the long drive to the Cullen house, thinking about everything that happened from the moment I drank from Bella.

I've taken blood from humans for so many years—years that I have undoubtedly tried to forget with no noticeable success—and never once have I seen a vision of their past. Especially nothing as vivid as the one I had with Bella.

What exactly did this mean? Was Peter right? Did Bella see a piece of my past? If so, what exactly did she see?

I don't even want to consider the things Bella may have seen. Nobody should be subjected to the horrors that I've seen. It's like your worst nightmare times infinity. The horror, the pain, the screaming...

Bella may think her past is bad but it is nothing compared to mine.

"We're here, Master Jasper."

I looked at the chauffer, Ben. "Thank you, Ben." I stepped out of the car and stared at the mansion. Just looking at it, you could see how much love is there. Esme really outdid herself with this one. "Ben, take the next couple of days off. You deserve it."

"Thank you, Master." Ben bowed and shut the door. I could feel the excitement radiating off him.

The door opened before I even got to the door. "Jasper!"

Esme ran to me and flung her arms around me. "Oh, how I've missed you."

I held her close. No matter what I did, Esme was always there and ready to give out her love. "I've missed you too, Esme."

"What are you doing back so soon?" She asked. "Did Carlisle put you up to this?"

I chuckled. Carlisle was always trying to get me to come and visit the family. Despite the lifestyle that I took, they still love me and begged me to visit.

"Not this time." I smiled as she led me towards the house. "I've come to talk to Carlisle."

"So soon?"

"Yes. It's rather important."

"How long will you stay?"

"A couple of days,"

Esme beamed and I felt her enthusiasm. "Well, Carlisle is at work so you'll have to wait until he comes home from the hospital." She led me to the living room. "However, I'm sure Emmett and Rosalie will be pleased to see you."

"I thought Em and Rose went to Egypt."

"They did." She said. "But they came back."

Before I could respond, Emmett ran inside and picked me up into a bone crushing hug. "Jazz! Dude, I was wondering when you were going to come visit." He beamed and set me back on the floor.

"Hey, Em. Long time no see. How was Egypt?"

"Awesome!" He laughed and sat on the couch. "Me and Rosie are thinking about going back there."

"Where is Rose?"

A hand touched my shoulder and I turned. "Rosalie."

She smiled and wrapped me in a hug. "It's good to see you, Jasper." She peered into my eyes and I felt her sadness creep off her. "Still drinking from humans, eh?"

I pulled away from her, anger rising. I must have projected because she immediately apologized. "I'm sorry, Jazz. You know I didn't mean it like that."

I nodded stiffly. "How much longer until Carlisle gets here?" I asked Esme.

"He'll be home in—"

Carlisle came inside, talking to Edward about one of the patients from the hospital. They both stopped when they saw me.

"Jasper?" Carlisle looked at me. "Is something wrong? What are you doing here?"

"I needed to talk to you about something. It wasn't exactly something I could do with over the phone." I said, barely sparing a glance at Edward. The fucker lost me everything. There was no way in hell I was ever going to forgive him.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

I didn't know how to answer that honestly so I just stayed silent.

"All right," He said, taking my silence as answer. "Come up to my office and we can talk."

I followed Carlisle upstairs and sat in one of the leather chairs when we got to his office.

"What can I do for you Jasper? It seems like you just left and now you're here again."

"I know." I hung my head.

"You can tell me, Jasper."

I nodded once. "When I got home from seeing you, Peter was back. Apparently he'd gone to the Centre and already picked out a human girl." I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "She had a baby boy with her." I felt Carlisle's surprise.

"They actually allowed the child to live?"

"Yes. Peter must have scared the crap outta the vampires." I shook my head. Peter may have been an annoying motherfucker but he was a sweet talker and a sick fuck. What Peter wanted, Peter got. There was just no arguing. "Anyway, Bella was going to be a blood donor. Scared the crap out of her but she didn't argue with me."

"Did you kill the girl?"

Why do they always assume that? I growled at him and he backed off. "Sorry, Jasper. It was just a question. You don't usually come to me after you've had human blood unless you've killed them."

That may be true but I still resented it.

"If you didn't kill her, what happened?"

"I-I saw her memory."

Carlisle blinked. "I'm sorry?" I think this was the first time that I've ever been able to surprise Carlisle with anything. I wanted to gloat but I was too shocked.

"I saw a piece of her memory. She was just a child with her parents. They were in the tunnels. Her father was telling her the story about _Hansel and Gretel_."

He nodded his head once and rubbed his chin. "That's interesting."

"Why?" I demanded.

"What else happened?" he asked, ignoring my question.

"I felt a strange feeling of protectiveness wash over me when it was over. I was going to leave her, to rest and regain her strength but I didn't want to. I just sat beside her, listening to her breathing and thinking over everything I saw."

Carlisle looked like he was writing this down. "What else?"

"Really, Carlisle?"

"What?"

"Why are you writing this down?"

"So I know all the factors regarding this. You want an accurate answer, don't you?"

I rolled my eyes. "Peter seems to think that Bella saw a piece of my past as well."

I noticed when Carlisle winced at that. "Do you know what she saw?"

"You believe me?"

He didn't answer right away. "I believe that there is a distinct possibility that she may have."

"How distinct?"

"Uh, well... I've heard stories about something like this. I've always thought that it was a myth because vampires usually kill their pray." I nodded, waving him on to continue. "It's called the Soul mate Principle."

I cleared my throat. "Come again?"

Carlisle stood up and walked to one of the bookshelves. He studied it quickly before taking a medium sized black leather book out.

"The Soul mate Principle simply means that a vampire has found their soul mate in a human. The story goes that when a human shares blood with a vampire, if they are truly soul mates, both would be able to see past experiences between the two. The connection is so strong they would both know if the other was in danger. They wouldn't even have to be an empath to know." Carlisle chuckled.

"So you think _Bella_ is my soul mate?"

"What do you think, Jasper? You're the one that experienced the entire thing. You felt protective over her. You saw her past."

"Bella can't be my mate." I hissed. "Alice was my mate."

Carlisle didn't even flinch but I could feel the sadness rolling off him. "Jasper, Alice is gone. Do you really want to spend eternity alone when you're soul mate is waiting? Are you going to deprive, not only yourself, but her as well, the love that you both no doubt deserve?"

His words hit me hard. "I loved Alice. I still do." I growled.

"Jasper, son. It's been almost a hundred and fifty years. Stop fighting and take what you want."

"I can't." I shook my head. "I won't."

"The choice is yours to make Jasper. If you want to ignore everything I'm telling you, fine. I'm just telling you what I know." Carlisle sighed. "One day Bella is going to find someone to love and then where will you be? Alone? Still pining after Alice when she would have wanted you to move on and be happy?"

It was strange to hear Carlisle behave like this. "Why are you so desperate to get me together with a human? With Alice..."

"Alice was a different issue." Carlisle interrupted. "Jasper, you can't blame Edward forever."

I stiffened. "Yes. I can."

"Talk to him, Jasper. He still feels awful about what happened." He pressed.

"I'd rather eat dirt."

Carlisle sighed. "I wish you would reconsider, Jasper. But we won't talk about it again." He amended when he saw my anger.

"Thank you."

oOo

"So, Jazz. What have you been up to?"

"Not much."

"Have you played?" he handed me the controller to his latest video game. "Eddie won't play and Rosalie doesn't want to break a nail."

I snorted. Typical Rosalie.

"Sure, Em."

Emmett and I played the video game for several hours until Esme told me that Ben was here. I stood up. "That was fun, Em."

He chuckled. "Dude, it's always fun when I'm around."

"Uh-huh. Sure, sure." I grabbed my wallet and keys and went over to Esme. "Thanks for letting me stay, Esme."

She smiled and kissed my cheek. "Of course, Jasper. Promise to come back soon. We've missed having you around here."

"I will. I promise."

"Jasper," Edward said.

I ignored him as I walked out of the house. Ben was waiting, nervously twitching. "Ben? Are you... twitching?"

"No."

He twitched again. "What is it, Ben?" I asked.

He swallowed and bowed his head. "I think I've fallen in love."

"That's great!"

"Not really."

"Why not?" I asked. "The only way it wouldn't be good is if you fell in love with a human." I chuckled.

When Ben didn't respond and I felt his fear skyrocket, I sobered immediately. "You fell in love with a human?" I asked incredulously. "How?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't really know." He admitted.

We fell silent as I stared out the window. Everything was changing. Vampires weren't supposed to fall in love with humans. It went against the grain. It goes against everything. We are the predators. We feed from the humans.

"How does she feel?" I asked, glancing over at Ben.

He didn't answer right away but his love washed over me. "She loves me too."

I nodded.

We were silent the rest of the way back to the manor.

*

I was hit with strong waves of fear and anger the minute I stepped out of the car. Confused, I opened my senses but that seemed to make it worse tenfold. It was at that moment I heard the ear-piercing scream come from inside the house. It could have only come from one person.

Ignoring everything else, I ran into the house, ignoring the looks of everyone and the confusion going around.

The closer I got, the stronger the emotions were.

I roared in anger at the sight before me. Michael had his pants down and his hand up Bella's skirt, thrusting his fingers inside her as he drank from her.

Bella met my gaze, fear and pain flashing through her chocolate brown eyes. I threw Michael off her and crouched down.

"Jasper," he croaked. "God, now I know why you've been keeping her away from the others. Her blood is the sweetest thing I've ever tasted." He took a step forward. "Mmm. I can't wait to feel that tight pussy around my dick."

"Take another step closer and I'll rip off your balls." I warned through clenched teeth. It was going to happen either way but for now...

"Why, Jasper?" Michael's eyes flashed dangerously. "What is she to you? Just a little human."

Fury ran through me and I lunged at him. "How dare you!" I wrapped my hands around his neck, preventing him from moving.

"Jasper!" Peter called.

"Get Bella and take her to my room. Then get a message to Carlisle." I ordered, squeezing hard. Michael's eyes bugged out. "You are a dead man." I hissed. "How dare you come into my home and disrespect direct orders?"

The harder I squeezed, the more his eyes bugged. "You should know not to fuck with me, Michael."

I grabbed his dick in my hand and ripped it off.

He howled in pain and rage. "I'm going to enjoy ripping off your limbs, Michael." I grabbed his hand. "And I think I'll start with your fingers."

It was a big mistake to let go of my hold on his neck. The first chance he had, he reached up and bit into my shoulder with his teeth.

The venom burned but I was too angry to give a fuck. I elbowed him in the face. Tired of this shit, I needed to end this so I could go check on Bella. She needed me more than this sick fuck.

With a swift pull, I ripped his head off his body.

Charlotte appeared out of nowhere and helped me up. "Go to her, Jasper. I'll worry about this."

With a grateful smile, I went to my bedroom. Peter was sitting at the end of the bed, staring at Bella who wouldn't stop trembling and shaking from fear.

"You should probably help her sleep because she won't be able to by herself."

Sending a large dose of lethargy towards her, I sank into the arm chair.

"Michael?"

"Dead," I paused. "Carlisle?"

"On his way,"

I nodded my head. "Good." Now all we had to do was sit and wait.

**That's all. I hope it lived up to your expectations. Let me know what you think. **

**Review Please. **


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N I was feeling a little nice and decided to update. I know you're all impatient to read what happens next so here it is. Enjoy. **

Chapter 9

**JPOV**

I don't know how long I sat, watching Bella before my anger started to rise. Staring at her, pushing as much calm and lethargy as I could to help her sleep without nightmares, I couldn't help but wonder how the hell this happened.

"Jasper? Perhaps you should go and take a breather. You've been here all night and your anger is getting to Bella." Charlotte's soft voice came from beside Bella.

"I'm not going to leave her alone, Charlotte." I hissed.

"She's not going to be here alone, Jasper." She snapped. "I'm here."

I knew she was safe with Charlotte but my protective nature prevented me from admitting it. Without another word, I stood sharply and headed outside. I needed answers and I needed them now. I looked for Peter. He might have known how this happened.

I found Peter in the servant quarters, holding the child. "How's Bella?" he asked without looking up.

"Sleeping," I grunted. "You and I need to have a talk."

He nodded his head in agreement. Rhiannon appeared and took Adrian out of his arms. "I'll go feed him."

Peter nodded and stood up. I didn't speak as I turned away and led him to my office. I could feel the strain that Peter was under. He was pissed off about what happened with Michael and he was worried about what this attack is going to do to Bella.

I sat at my desk, silently watching him. I reigned in my emotions, knowing it wasn't doing any good to anyone. They knew I was pissed off.

"So, Peter. Can you tell me exactly how this happened?"

"I don't know." He admitted. "Bella was working with Rhiannon today. I think Rhiannon told her to take the laundry upstairs."

"Why was she alone?"

"The servants know better than to touch her. The only problem we've had was Michael and his group. The day Michael arrived, I saw him with Bella. He was a little too close for comfort."

"And that never struck you as something worth worrying about?" My anger spiked as I wished I tortured Michael more than I had. He deserved to die a slow and painful death.

Peter didn't say anything. His emotions were a jumbled mess. He felt guilty for leaving Bella alone but the thought that Michael would actually try something never crossed his mind.

"Why was Bella in my wing? That's usually off limits."

"I talked to Rhiannon about this. Apparently she sent Bella to change the sheets on your bed."

I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. "And no one realized she was gone for as long as she was?"

"I don't think the servants pay as much attention to her. Besides Rhiannon, Charlotte and myself, the rest pay little to no attention."

It stung to hear him say that. Did I really pay no attention to Bella at all? Besides when she annoys the crap out of me or I'm getting ready to feed from her?

Could Carlisle's theory about Bella being my soul mate be a lie?

Was I even considering that possibility? I thought that idea died down the minute I left the Cullen house. Didn't it?

If Bella really was my soul mate, I would have wanted to spend more time around her, wanting to get to know her.

It must be a lie. There must be another reason why I was seeing Bella's memories.

"Peter, you talked to Bella after I left right?"

His nerves spiked and he looked at me. "Yeah. Why?"

"Did she say anything about seeing my memories?"

"Well..." he paused and I saw him swallow. "She mentioned it."

"And?" Why was he so nervous? Was it really that bad? "Come on, Peter. I'm just curious."

"I don't think you'll like it very much." He admitted. "She saw you with Alice."

I stiffened immediately. "What did she see? What did she say?" I demanded.

"She said all she saw was you and Alice in a meadow. She didn't actually hear anything which I found a little odd. All she heard from the entire conversation was Alice's name."

"That's it?"

He nodded. "Well, that's... not too bad. I guess."

"She's been asking questions about Alice."

I growled. "She has no right to ask questions about Alice!"

"You can't blame her, Jasper. She's been subjected to your memory of Alice. What do you suppose she does? If you saw someone in her past, wouldn't you want to ask questions about it as well?"

I could understand his reasoning, but that didn't stop the anger from rising. "If Bella wants to know anything about Alice, she should come to me for them."

"In what state of mind would you ever tell Bella anything about your personal life?" he asked.

"You are the one that refused to talk to her. You are the one that kept a distance. You are the one that—"

"Yeah, I get it. I've been a cold hearted bastard towards her." I hissed.

"She really isn't a bad person, Jasper. She's fierce and protective. She's brave. Despite all that, do you really think she would have been able to come to you and asked you about Alice without getting her head cut off? Bella is afraid of you, Jasper. She may not show it for everyone to see but her eyes flash with fear every time she hears your name."

I growled in frustration. This only heightened the proclamation that Bella was _not _my mate.

There was a sharp knock on the door. "Come in."

Rhiannon stuck her head in. "Sorry to bother you, Jasper but Carlisle's here."

"Good." I stood up and left without another word to Peter. I walked through the house until I met Carlisle, and to my surprise, Esme, waiting.

"Thank you for coming, Carlisle."

"It isn't every day I get a message from you saying you want me to come to the manor immediately. And that you wanted me to bring my medical bag."

I nodded.

"How's Bella?"

"Sleeping."

"Is someone with her?"

"Charlotte."

He nodded. "Take me to her."

**CPOV**

I entered the room alone, after five minutes of arguing with Jasper and noticed Charlotte lying next to a hump beneath the comforter. She looked at me with her red eyes and smiled weakly.

"How is everything?"

"She's still sleeping. She woke up once from a nightmare and when I calmed her down and told her it was just a nightmare, she fell back asleep."

"She must be exhausted." I moved closer and saw a head of long mahogany tresses spread out across the white pillow. "How long ago was it that she fell back asleep?"

I watched as Charlotte ran her fingers through the girl's hair. "About an hour. She hasn't been sleeping well."

"I see." I sighed.

"Charlotte?" Her soft voice was weak and I heard it crack.

"I'm here, Bella." Charlotte said. "Bella, honey. There's a doctor here to see you. He wants to take a look to see if Michael caused any injuries."

There was silence for a moment as I saw Bella's chocolate brown eyes peek out from beneath the blanket. "He's like Rhiannon."

That was unexpected. Though I couldn't quite understand what she meant.

"That's right. Carlisle isn't going to hurt you."

"Would it be alright if I took a look at you, Bella?"

She nodded slowly and sat up, wincing as she did. "Charlotte, why don't you go find Esme? I think she's with Jasper. Keep him calm and out of here until I'm done. I'll tell him what's wrong when I'm finished my examination."

"He's not going to like that."

"I know. Just keep him out for as long as you can. Get Peter to help you, just so long as he stays out of this room."

"Yes, Carlisle." She stood up and kissed Bella on the forehead. "Don't worry, Bella. You're going to be okay."

Bella swallowed and nodded nervously.

When Charlotte was gone, I moved slowly towards the bed. "Bella? Can you tell me what happened?"

She shook her head in alarm.

"Bella, that's alright. I understand that this isn't easy for you. Just relax."

I watched as she struggled to calm herself. "Do you need me to get Jasper to help calm you down?" I didn't really want to get Jasper because once he was here; he wasn't going to want to leave.

Thankfully, she shook her head.

"Okay. I'm going to start my examination right now." I gently took her arms. There were several large bruises up her arms and across her shoulders.

"Bella, besides the pain Michael caused with his hands, did you feel any sharp pain between your legs?"

She shook her head.

I breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't break her barrier. I continued the examination, my hands gently probing down her sides. She winced a few times, indicating a possible break of the ribs.

"Bella, are there other places you feel more pain?"

She nodded her head.

"Where?"

She turned her back to me, lifting her shirt and I saw angry red lines running down her back. There was no blood, thankfully, but I could tell Michael must have run the tips of his fingers down her back.

"Anywhere else?"

"My head hurts."

It was the first time she spoke directly to me. That was a good thing. I hoped.

I nodded and probed my fingers along her scalp. There were certainly bumps. Michael must have thrown her against a wall.

Once I finished my examination, I stood up. "Bella, I'm going to talk to Jasper. Do you want me to get something for you?"

"Can you bring Adrian?"

"Adrian?"

She nodded. "Sure." I left the room and nearly ran into Jasper, who was pacing back and forth in the hallway.

"Jasper. I was about to come find you."

"How is she?"

"Let's go find somewhere to talk." I suggested. His eyes tightened. "Oh. And Bella wants Adrian."

"Of course she does." He muttered as he led me to what I assumed was his office. "Charlotte, will you get Adrian? Bella wants to see him."

"Sure Jasper. I think I saw him with Esme."

He nodded, distracted. I studied the tense way he held himself. He was definitely angry but trying to keep himself from projecting that anger.

Jasper walked into the office and began pacing, muttering things under his breath.

"How is she?" he demanded harshly.

"Physically? She will heal fine. There are a couple of bruises, maybe one or two broken ribs. She might have a concussion but I don't really know for sure. I would need an x-ray for that."

"Did he...?"

"No. Her barrier is still intact."

He breathed a sigh of relief before he realized I had more to say.

"What else?"

"While her physical state will heal with time, I'm worried about her mental state. Seeing the act of rape on someone else is one thing. Experiencing it first hand is a whole other matter. Her mind doesn't know how to cope with the changes." I explained loosely.

"You think she's seen someone being raped?"

"Wouldn't surprise me. You told me she lived in the tunnels." I said. "No one really knows what happens in those tunnels. And besides that, the vampires that venture into the tunnels often rape the older woman they know won't sell well."

He flinched at that. "What exactly can I do to help her?"

"For now, don't talk to her about it. She isn't prepared for it just yet. When she's ready to face what happened, she'll talk to you. Don't push her into talking about it. She will draw away if you push her too hard."

"It's not like she talks to me at all." He grumbled.

"What?"

"Bella is afraid of me, Carlisle. I can't go near her without feeling her terror."

"I'm sure that's not true."

"I can feel her emotions. I know it's true."

"Have you bothered to get to know her?"

He didn't answer. "Not really." He finally admitted. "But to be fair, I didn't realize it until Peter clued me in." He ran a hand through his hair. "Why did she feel so comfortable with you right away?"

"I'm sorry?"

"She let you touch her. Bella's only allowed Peter, Charlotte or Rhiannon touch her since she was attacked. Why did she let you?"

"You know her better that I do. But she did say something. She said I was like Rhiannon."

He stared at me. "Your eyes,"

"You really need to elaborate a bit, Jasper. I can't read your mind."

"She feels comfortable with you because of your vegetarian lifestyle."

I could understand his train of thought. "That doesn't quite explain why she was curled up against Charlotte when I walked into the room."

"She's comfortable with Charlotte because they've spent a lot of time together. Just like Peter."

"Ah."

"How can someone you say is my soul mate be so afraid of me?"

"So you admit that she is your soul mate?"

He stared at me for a minute, surprised, judging from the look on his face.

I was alerted to Peter's presence before his knock. "Jasper, Bella's awake and she wants to talk to you."

"Really?"

**JPOV**

I was actually shocked. Never in my life did I consider Bella would ever willingly want to talk to me about anything.

"How long are you staying, Carlisle?" I asked, looking at him. I was antsy to get to Bella.

"A couple of days." He said. "I want to watch the progress Bella makes."

I nodded, thankful that he was here. "Thank you, Carlisle. I really appreciate it."

I headed out the door and walked towards my bedroom. The closer I got, the more I heard the soft voices coming from inside.

"I'm okay, Rhiannon. Stop mothering me." Bella said, swatting the hand away.

"Bella, you were just attacked."

I peeked inside. "I know."

"Are you okay? I know what happened is hard for you—"

"It was horrible." She whispered. "I had to watch those vampires rape my mother before both my parents told me to run. And then it happened to me."

"Bella,"

I knocked, announcing my arrival. So Carlisle was right, I mused silently.

"Peter told me you wanted to see me?"

She nodded and looked at Rhiannon. "I'll take Adrian back to Esme. I think she was having a little too much fun playing with him."

Bella smiled weakly. "Thanks, Rhiannon."

Rhiannon touched my arm and I felt her send me her warning. Usually, I would have gotten angry but I knew she was trying to protect Bella from pain.

"You can sit down, Master."

I winced. "Call me Jasper, Bella."

She studied me with surprise. "If you say so," she looked at the blanket, running her hands over the seams. "Thank you."

Of all the things I thought she would say that certainly wasn't one of them. "For what?"

"For saving me. For pulling Michael off me before something else could have happened."

"There's no need to thank me, Bella. Michael was warned. He disrespected my wishes. When it comes to something as severe as this, I did what I had to to maintain order."

A flash of hurt went through her eyes before it was gone. She nodded her head stiffly. "If you don't mind, I think I'll sleep. I'm kind of tired."

I nodded and stood up. "Sleep well, Bella."

On my way out, I couldn't help but wonder how badly I screwed up.

**BPOV**

Jasper didn't care.

It was all about duty. He didn't do what he did because he liked me, even in the slightest.

Rhiannon's theory on soul mates is stupid and completely implausible. I was nothing more to him than a human slave.

If that's the way he wanted it, fine. He'd get exactly what he wanted.

**A/N That's all! I hoped you guys liked it. It seems Bella and Jaspers relationship goes up and down. They're both too stubborn to admit their feelings. Anyway, review and tell me what your thoughts are on this chapter. Ya'll know reviews help me write faster. **


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N Here it is. Chapter 10. I hope you like it. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

Missing

Please, please, forgive me  
But I won't be home again  
I know what you do to yourself  
I breathe deep and cry out  
"Isn't something missing?  
Isn't someone missing me?"

--Evanescence

Chapter 10

**BPOV**

Under Carlisle's orders, I was stuck in Jasper's room until I was healed.

This is not what I wanted and I protested. A lot. I did not want to stay here any longer than I had to. I was even feeling much better.

Not that anyone believed me.

After three days of being trapped in Jasper's room with nothing to entertain me, I struggled to get out of the bed. I winced at the pain it caused my ribs and swore.

"Bella?" Peter's voice came from behind me. "What are you doing?"

"I need to get out of here. I'm going stir crazy looking at these four walls for three days."

"Huh. I thought so. That's why I'm here. I'm going to take you out to the garden. Esme made you lunch and she's waiting for you with Adrian."

My face brightened immediately. "Really?"

He nodded and lifted me into his arms. It felt ridiculous but Peter wouldn't let me go on my own so I humoured him.

"Where's Carlisle?"

"He went hunting."

"Oh."

"Peter? Why does Carlisle feed from animals? Why did he choose such an unusual lifestyle for a vampire?"

"That's something you'd have to ask Carlisle."

I frowned and stared at the sky as we walked outside. For once it was sunny out. While there were still clouds in the sky, it wasn't as bad as total darkness. I couldn't help but wonder what this world looked like before the revolution. I sighed, imagining.

"How does Jasper know Carlisle?" I asked after a while. He didn't answer and I knew the reason why. I huffed in annoyance. "Please tell me Peter. I promise I'll stop asking questions about him." I probably wasn't but for now it would have to do.

"I don't believe you."

"Please, Peter?"

He sighed and looked away. "I wish you'd stop looking at me with those doe eyes of yours." I fought a smile. "Jasper's history is very complicated. The first hundred years after his change wasn't easy for him. He met Carlisle soon after he left and became a part of his family." I knew there was more to that story but all I was getting was the Coles notes version.

"So, Jasper used to be a vegetarian?"

Peter nodded. "Yep,"

"What changed then?" Thinking about it, I couldn't see him with gold eyes. I wished I could.

"That part is complicated." He admitted. "Only the Cullens know the full story of what happened. Jazz wouldn't tell me and I'm one of his best friends."

"Oh."

oOo

I knew what I needed to do. It wasn't going to be easy and I knew without a doubt that someone would find me before I had a chance to get there. Even If someone didn't find me, they'd come searching for me and I'd be busted anyway.

I could have cared less.

Gathering the few things Peter brought me, rather painfully, I slowly made my way to the servant quarters. Jasper met me half way down the hall. He seemed surprised to see me.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going back to the servant quarters."

"Why?"

"It's where I belong." I stared him straight in the eye. It was a bold move but I wanted him to know I was serious.

"Bella, you're still healing from the attack. You're going to be uncomfortable in the servant quarters."

"Maybe so but I'm nothing but a human slave to you. Why should I be any different than all the others?"

"That's exactly why!" he said, exasperated. "You're _human_."

I shook my head. "I'll be ready to go back to work soon, Master."

He flinched at the title but fortunately he didn't tell me to call him Jasper again. "Bella, I don't want you to hurt yourself anymore than you already are!"

"Why?"

"Because I don't want Peter to have to find another human from the Centre!" he snapped.

I stilled and pain washed over me. So I was right. Not a big surprise. "I'm expendable. I'm going to die one day. No one can dictate when they're going to die. I could drop dead tomorrow. Either way, it won't be difficult to find another human to fill my place. One, I'm sure, will be too afraid of you to ever fight back or argue about anything." I swallowed and looked away. "One that won't have to see your memories,"

"Bella,"

I shook my head. "If you'll excuse me, I need to take my things to the servant quarters." My body was already exhausted, both from the confrontation with Jasper and the exert I had to use to get this far.

**JPOV **

This girl was getting under my skin.

Again I've said the wrong thing. I could feel the hurt that went through her like a shot before it was quickly pushed aside. I don't know why I keep saying the wrong thing. The way I behave around her is concerning and despicable. The way she speaks and fights back against everything makes me say things I don't mean. And I don't realize that I say something wrong until after I say it.

Wondering why I was feeling this way, I punched the wall until it was nothing more than dust. Why was I acting like this? Why did I allow this girl get under my skin and make me behave like this? I stared at the hole I made for a moment before I realized that I didn't want her to leave my room. I liked having her there, smiling or laughing when I came inside. She had such a beautiful laugh. She had such a calming influence on me, even if it wasn't actually directed at me. Her voice alone...

"Jasper?" Carlisle's voice came from behind me. "Where's Bella? I was just going to check on her but she isn't in your room."

"She's moved back to the servant quarters." I said.

"Why?"

"You should ask her that." I walked away, needing to get out of this house. As I left the house, I started running, eager to get away. I felt like I was holding on to my emotions with a single thread that could snap at any moment. If that happened, nobody was going to want to be around me. I couldn't even understand what I was feeling. It's already happened once before as a result of this girl.

I slowed to a walk. I was surprised to see that I was in the forest near the Manor. I scaled a tree and sat on the branch at the very top. Stretching my legs, I put my hand behind my head and stared up at the blue sky. The leaves of the tree were protecting me from the sun's rays and I felt more relaxed now than I have in years.

I closed my eyes and let my mind wander. Usually in times like this, my thoughts wander to memories of Alice. Alice smiling; Alice laughing; Alice kissing me...

Today was different. Today my thoughts wandered to the beautiful human woman with huge chocolate brown eyes and an infectious smile.

Bella.

God, I've been a total ass to her. Bella didn't deserve any of the things I put her through. The defiance in her tone every time I say something she doesn't like is fascinating and amusing.

Was Carlisle right after all? Was Bella truly my soul mate?

I ran over all the facts in my head:

1. I saw her memories when I drank from her; 2. She saw mine: she may not have heard anything but she still saw the meadow I used to take Alice to; 3. Seeing Michael hurting Bella, I wanted to kill him. He dared to touch what was mine when I specifically warned everyone against it; 4. I can't get her out of my head. I've tried and each time it was a useless attempt.

No. I cannot be mated to a human! I refuse to believe it. Alice was my mate and she's dead. She was everything that is beautiful and pure. Bella is a tainted human girl, nothing in comparison to my Alice.

Resolved, I went back to the house. If Bella wanted to play, bring it on.

**BPOV**

I lay on the bed, curled into a fetal position and crying.

Everything was just _so_ hard. All right. I'll admit it. I like Jasper. He has such a hard exterior but there is a little compassion left within him.

Isn't there?

I haven't been treated horribly. But everything has changed.

What I really wanted at that moment, I realized, was my father. My dad would wrap me in his arms and hold me, comforting me as I cried because I was scared.

He was always drilling into me what I needed to survive. But every time I witnessed something the vampires did, or the humans did to each other, I would break down and cry, and my father was always there to hold me.

I wanted the comfort and protectiveness that Dad provided. I wanted his love. I wanted any kind of love. I was so alone.

The cot creaked under extra weight. I didn't turn to see who it was but I figured it was Rhiannon. "Bella, honey, what's wrong?" she whispered.

"I feel so alone." I whispered. "And I want my dad."

She didn't speak after that but she stroked my hair softly. The gentleness of her touch lulled me to sleep.

_I was walking through a meadow. It was bright and so beautiful. In the centre of the meadow was the most beautiful cherry tree, a stream of clear blue water running behind it. Wild flowers grew all over the grass. I bent down to pick one. It was a daisy. _

_A man stepped out from behind the tree. He had a full head of mahogany hair and chocolate brown eyes. I could even see the twinkle in his eyes. He was dressed in a white button down shirt with jeans. He walked barefoot through the green grass. _

"_Hello, Bella." He said with a smile. _

_I blinked, tears strolling down my face. "Daddy?" _

_He came closer and cupped my cheek in his hand. When he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to my forehead, I threw my arms around his waist and cried as he held me. "What are you doing here?" _

"_I came to talk to you."_

"_Are you real?" _

"_As real as I can be under the circumstances," he said, stroking my hair. "Sweet, Bella. You have been so brave. I am so proud of you." _

"_How can you be proud of me?" I mumbled against his chest. "I got caught and sold." _

"_And yet you survived all this time, alone and vulnerable." _

_I didn't respond. "Bella, you have always made me so proud. I know living in the tunnels was hard for you. Believe me; I had to watch it day after day until the moment you disappeared." _

_I flinched. "I'm so sor—"_

_He covered my mouth with his hand. "Don't say you're sorry." He said gently. "I told you to run. You were only doing what I asked you. What your mother asked you." _

_I nodded my head. _

"_Why are you here, Daddy?" I asked, looking up at him. "Why now?" _

"_You called to me, Bella." He said. "It was subconsciously, but you still called." _

_I thought about what he said, burying my face in his chest. _

"_Charlie?" _

_I pulled away from Dad and twisted around. Mom was standing there, dressed in a white knee length dress. Her brown hair hung loosely down her shoulders and her blue eyes were wide with happiness and love. It was strange to see her like this. All I could remember was the pain and fear on her face when those vampires raped her. Seeing her like this, it was hard to imagine she could be this happy. _

"_Momma?" _

_She smiled and walked towards me. Much like Dad did, she cupped my face in her hand and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. _

"_How I've missed you, my daughter." _

_I swallowed and threw my arms around her, the tears falling so much I could barely see her. _

"_Shh, my love. Hush." Mom wiped the tears away gently. "Everything is going to be okay." _

"_Bella, you have to know that your mother and I will always be there with you." Dad pressed his hand over my heart. "Right here," _

"_I miss you." _

"_Just remember, Bella. We will always love you." he said. "Now it's time for you to wake up." _

I woke with a start. A pair of cold arms was still wrapped around me.

"Rhiannon?"

"Are you okay?" she asked gently. "You were crying in your sleep."

I nodded. "I was dreaming of my parents." I whispered. "Have you been here with me all night?"

She nodded. "I couldn't bring myself to leave when you were so upset."

"Thank you."

"Now, it's time to get up. Carlisle wants to have a look at you to see how well you're healing." She said. "I'll take you up to their room."

Sitting up, I immediately realized that Adrian wasn't with me. "Adrian. Where's Adrian?"

"Relax, Bella. Adrian's with Esme."

I relaxed and smiled weakly.

"How are your ribs?"

"They're a little sore." I admitted. "But I've had worse. And I've lived through even worse conditions."

"Come, Bella."

**Okay, so that's all for today. I hope you liked it. Thanks to **abbymickey24** for the inspiration for the dream. Read her newest story **_Time Heals._** It's awesome! **

**Anyway, Review Please. **


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N ****Okay... wow. I am amazed at how many people like this story. I feel so humble. Here's the new chapter. I hope you like it. Enjoy. **

Chapter 11

**JPOV**

"What are you doing here?"

"We came to see Carlisle." Emmett said, smiling widely.

I glanced behind him, nodding to Rosalie. "Wait! Does that mean…?"

Edward walked towards the door. I growled at him. How dare he come to my home after everything he's done?

"I've come to help Carlisle, Jasper." he said, answering my thought. "And Carlisle suggested you and I work out what happened."

"Bite me." I hissed.

"No thanks." Edward walked past me, into the house.

I grabbed his arm, yanking him backwards. "I didn't invite you in, Edward."

He pulled his arm out of my hand and glared at me. His anger was beginning to rise. "You need to get over it, Jasper. It happened a long time ago. Alice is _dead_."

"Don't. Say. Her. Name." I growled.

Edward's gaze flickered to Emmett and Rose, who were still standing in the door. "Come in. Don't just stand there." I called to Charlotte.

"You wanted to see me, Jazz?"

"Yes. I need you to take Emmett and Rosalie to the spare guestroom." I said.

She nodded. "Come on, then." She said to them. "I'll show you where you're staying."

As they followed Charlotte, Bella came out, wincing. "Bella, you really should be resting." Rhiannon insisted, following behind.

"I'm fine, Rhiannon." She glanced at her. "Is Adrian still with Esme?"

"Yes. He's always with Esme. She can't seem to put him down."

Bella snickered, and then gasped at the pain. "Fuck."

"Bella," Rhiannon warned. "What did Carlisle say?"

"Fine." She pouted. "I'll have him tape them up."

The disappeared down the hall and I could no longer hear them. I shook my head angrily at Bella's reluctance. She was trying to cause herself more pain than she was already in. Why did she have to be so damn stubborn?

Edward was chuckling at her. "What?" he demanded when he caught me glaring at her.

"I want you to stay away from her, Edward." I warned. "So help me God, if I see you anywhere near her, I'll rip off your limbs and throw them in a fire."

I barely finished my threat when Carlisle appeared.

"Edward! Good, I'm glad you're here. Maybe you can talk some sense into Bella."

"I'd be happy to." He smiled at Carlisle and smirked at me when Carlisle turned his back.

My anger boiled but I was careful not to project and alert Carlisle.

_You do anything to hurt her and I'll know, Edward. There won't be any place for you to hide_, I warned him.

He ignored me and followed Carlisle.

**BPOV **

"Bella, I'd like you to meet my son, Edward."

I stared at him and smiled shyly. "Hi, Edward. It's nice to meet you."

"You as well, Bella," He lifted my hand and kissed the back.

"Now Bella, I need you to hold still please." Carlisle said.

"What happened?" Edward asked, watching.

"Bella was attacked by another vampire about a week ago." Carlisle said. "Jasper barely got there in time to stop it before it got any worse."

Edward's golden eyes shone brightly as he looked at me. "That must have been awful."

"Nothing I don't expect." I said avoiding his eyes. "Carlisle, can I see Adrian after this?"

"If you can pry him away from Esme," He chuckled and straightened up. "I don't think she's let go that baby since we got here."

I smiled. "He is special."

"All right, I'm done." Carlisle smiled and helped me sit up. "Edward, why don't you take Bella out to the garden while I get Adrian and Esme?" he suggested.

"Sure thing, Carlisle," Edward held out his hand.

Smiling shyly, I slipped my hand into his and followed him slowly out to the garden. There was a blanket set up and I struggled to sit down. When I did, I looked at Edward and my breath caught. He had his face tilted up, the warm sun on his face. What caught my attention was the way he sparkled in the sun. He was so handsome.

I looked away, blushing at my own thoughts.

"Why are you feeling embarrassed?" He asked, sitting down beside me.

"What makes you think I'm embarrassed?" I lay back and put my hands behind my head. The sun warmed my skin and I closed my eyes in contentment.

"You're blushing." He said.

Stupid blush. Always gives me away. "Can I ask you a question?" I asked, diverting the question away from me and to him.

"Go ahead."

I didn't speak right away as I tried to formulate my question. "Why do you drink animal blood? Why do you go against everything you are?"

Edward didn't answer right away. "Do you know Carlisle's story?"

I shook my head.

Edward went on to explain to me Carlisle's past. It was fascinating and unlike anything I've ever heard before. "Carlisle tried to kill himself when he realized what he'd become." He explained. "But it is nearly impossible for a vampire to kill themselves. For weeks, Carlisle went on, practically starving when he came across a herd of deer. He pounced on one of them without thinking about it. When it sated his thirst, he realized there was another way to live without having to harm humans. It was a very strange and unusual thing for a vampire but Carlisle refused to change, no matter how much he was pressured into it."

"But if Carlisle didn't like what he became, why did he change you?"

"He was lonely. He spent nearly two hundred years without a companion. He changed me because I was close to death. I was dying from the Spanish Influenza. My parents had already died so I was alone."

"And Esme?"

"She threw herself off a cliff when her son died." He explained. "Her heart was still beating, albeit, weakly, when they brought her to the morgue."

I winced. "So Carlisle only changes those who are close to death?"

Edward nodded.

I didn't say anything else as I processed that. "Has there ever been a time when you went off that diet and fed from humans?"

Edward looked at his hands.

"Yes. It was about ten years after my rebirth."

"Was that it?"

"A few slip ups. The last one was nearly a hundred years ago."

"How old are you?"

"Two hundred and fifty,"

My mouth popped open. "Oh."

He leaned forward and stared hard at my face. I squeaked at the closeness. "What's wrong?" I asked, swallowing back my fear.

"What are you thinking about?"

I blinked. Of all the things he could have said, I was certainly not expecting that. "Why?"

"Your thoughts are a blank abyss." He mused.

"I don't understand."

"I can read minds."

I was horrified. He could read my mind? That's probably one of the worst things I've ever heard.

"If it makes you feel better, I can't read yours." Edward said and I visibly relaxed. "You are the only person whose thoughts I've never been able to read."

"That's a relief." I muttered under my breath.

Edward chuckled.

"How do you do it?" I asked. "How can you live, knowing everywhere you go, you read people's thoughts, no matter how vulgar or disgusting they are?"

"It isn't easy." He admitted. "Sometimes I wish I can bleach my brain to get rid of the things that I've seen. But being around you, all I feel is the quiet. It is very relaxing to be around you."

"I doubt that." I grumbled. "I cause too much trouble."

"Jasper doesn't see you simply because he is too caught up in the past. He hasn't been able to let go. When and if he does, he'll understand."

"I may not be around when he finally realizes that."

"Why? Do you plan of committing suicide?"

"Of course not!" I snapped. "I would never leave Adrian here alone. Besides, I love Peter and Charlotte and Rhiannon."

He held his hands up in surrender. "Just checking,"

Edward and I sat in silence for a moment. I watched as his relaxed posture immediately stiffened. He glanced over his shoulder at something before turning back.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Not at all,"

"If you say so,"

**JPOV **

I was leaving Emmett and Rosalie's room when I saw something sparkle. Peter must be outside with Bella again. I didn't bother checking.

Carlisle was walking my way with Esme and Adrian when he stopped. "Jasper, have you seen Peter? I need to ask him some questions."

"He's outside with Bella."

He frowned and I felt his confusion. "Jasper!" Peter called from behind me. I turned, confused.

"I thought you were outside with Bella."

"No. I was talking to Bryce and Wyatt. We have a bit of an issue."

"What kind of issue?" Carlisle asked.

Peter sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It's the shape shifters."

Carlisle stiffened. "Esme, dear, why don't you and Adrian head outside? Edward is out there with Bella."

My anger spiked at that. I specifically told Edward to stay away from Bella!

_Not now_, a voice in my head hissed.

"Let's go to my study." I suggested through clenched teeth.

Carlisle and Peter followed me. "Where are Bryce and Wyatt?" I growled.

"Waiting for you in your study," Peter said.

I pushed the door open harder than I expected and it flew off the hinges. Carlisle and Peter exchanged glances, which I ignored. "What is this about the werewolves?" I demanded, sitting in my chair.

"Apparently they're starting an up rise." Wyatt said nervously. "They're gathering humans, kidnapping them from the Centre."

"What are using the humans for?" Peter asked.

"Nothing," Bryce interrupted. "They're starting their own community. The woman and children are free and the men are volunteering to protect their own."

"How did you get this information?"

"We have a spy among them." Wyatt answered. "The wolves are bringing more and more humans in."

"Is nothing being done to prevent this?" Peter asked. "How are they getting the humans out in the first place?"

"Distractions, mainly. They're smart. They know what they're doing."

"The werewolves never striked me as something worth worrying about," I said.

"Well they are now." Bryce said. "There are rumours going around that they're going to try and extract your human."

I stiffened and glared at Bryce. "They want Isabella?" My voice was so low and dangerous that he literally took a step back.

"Yes sir." He swallowed. "Apparently they know that the God of War is keeping a human. They know how dangerous you are and they fear for her life."

"So they're doing this to spite me." I didn't say it like a question and they were all wary to say anything. Except Carlisle.

"I don't think they're doing this out of spite, Jasper. I believe they're doing it because they are worried about Bella. They are protectors of humans. It's in their nature to do so."

"That does not give them the right to steal humans."

"Isn't that what the vampires are ultimately doing?" Carlisle countered gently. "Humans are stolen from the tunnels all the time. At least in this case, the werewolves are taking humans to protect them."

I growled. "They will not be taking Bella from me."

Peter smirked and Carlisle fought back a smile. I shot them a glare and tapped my hands on the table. "I will stop at nothing to keep Bella away from those mutts."

"What if Bella wants to go?"

"She can't know about this."

"Jasper,"

"Carlisle," I warned. "Don't test me on this. I will not have you encouraging her."

He sighed in resignation and nodded his head once.

I glanced at the two vampires standing behind Peter. "If you mention this anywhere in front of Isabella, you will wind up in the same position as Michael. Understand?" I threatened, staring them down. Their fear spiked and they nodded.

"Good."

I stood up and walked away. I needed to check on Bella and make sure she was okay.

When I got outside, I saw something I never expected. Edward was sitting in front of Bella and he was pushing a strand of hair away from her face. She was blushing and trying not to look at him as Esme laughed and picked Adrian up as he tried to crawl to Bella.

Pure fury washed over me and I walked towards them.

**BPOV**

"Adrian!" I smiled widely and took him out of Esme's reluctant arms. "Has he been a good boy?" I asked, pushing back a stray curl.

"He's been great. He hasn't cried once."

"That's a relief." I pressed a kiss to his forehead and breathed in his scent. "Mmm, I missed you." I said to Adrian.

Edward was watching with amusement. "What?"

"It's just strange to be so close to a human child." He said. "There aren't exactly novelties in the vampire world."

I shrugged. "Peter managed to scare the shit outta the vampire in charge and allowed me to take Adrian with me." I explained. "I'm glad he did too. I don't know what I would have done if I lost Adrian."

"It would be tragic." Esme interrupted. "This child is too precious." She took Adrian out of my arms again. "And he's absolutely adorable."

I chuckled and turned back to face Edward. He ran a hand through his hair and smiled. Before I realized what I was doing, I leaned forward and pushed a piece of hair away from his eyes. His golden eyes bore into mine as he took my hand and held it against him.

"You are so beautiful Bella."

I blushed, cursing myself internally. I've been blushing a lot lately, I realized. It's strange that Edward is causing such strong emotions.

It may not be anything like what I feel for Jasper but Edward makes me feel worthy. I'm in love with someone that can't—or won't—feel what I feel.

In love. Did I just admit that?

Yes. I did. I'm in love with Jasper. Is it surprising that it took me this long to realize it?

Yes. Because I've been denying everything I know. Rhiannon's theory isn't so far off base after all.

But how did I fall in love with Jasper? Each time he was around, it was never for anything good. There were only a handful of times where he actually behaved like he had some compassion towards me, and each of those times I was passed out. I only know about them because Charlotte and Peter told me.

Besides, he did save me from Michael.

I may be a piece of property to him but I still love him with every fiber of my being.

I looked at Edward and smiled weakly. That was until I felt the raw fury and looked over his shoulder.

**JPOV**

How dare he?

I am going to kill him!

I told him not to go anywhere near her and already he was breaking that.

_I'm going to kill you, Eddie_, I warned silently.

His body tensed and he stood up, crouching in front of Bella. I growled. She was not his to protect! Fuck.

"Leave her alone, Jasper." 

"I warned you, Edward." I hissed, too low for Bella's human ears to hear.

"Esme, take Bella and Adrian inside,"

"Jasper,"

"Do it!"

"Don't talk to her that way!" Bella yelled, struggling to stand.

"Do _not_ talk to me, Isabella. I've had quite enough of you today."

Hurt and anger coursed through her. "You're a real jackass." Edward growled. "Can't you see how much you're hurting her?"

"How the fucks do you know what's going on?"

"I can read your fucking mind, you ass!"

I don't think I've ever heard Edward swear before. If I wasn't so angry, I would have laughed. "You don't want to test my patience Edward."

He was provoking me with the things that happened between the two of them. I took a step forward only to have Bella step in front to protect him.

"Step aside, Bella."

"No."

"I said step aside."

"And I said no."

I moved forward, trying to get her to back down. Instead, she moved forward and pressed her lips against mine.

Her lips were warm and so soft. For a moment, the anger melted before I realized what she was doing. I pushed her away, harder than I expected. She cried out and collapsed to the ground, shaking with sobs.

I felt like a complete ass. Just as I moved to her, Esme was there, picking her up and leading her back to the house. I watched them go before a fist connected with my jaw.

Edward caught me off guard and the punch hurt like a bitch.

"You really are an ass, you know that?"

He left before I had the chance to fight back.

Fuck! Now everything was messed up.

Running a hand over my jaw, I made my way inside.

**Review Please :****) **


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N: O****kay, so here's the next chapter. This has a lot of information to questions I know you're all dying to know. Enjoy. **

Chapter 12

**BPOV**

I cried.

"Shh, Bella. It's okay." Esme whispered. "Everything is going to be okay."

"I was a fool, Esme." I curled up in a ball, holding my ribs. "Ow." I moaned

Edward walked into the servant quarters and looked around. Many of the females began whispering about him. He caught sight of us and came over. "Bella, are you okay?" he asked, sitting down beside me.

"No." I whimpered.

"Bella, you shouldn't worry about Jasper. He's always been a jackass. Ever since Alice died,"

I jerked up and stared at him. Edward frowned and wiped the tears from my eyes. "Alice?"

Esme looked at Edward with a warning look. I could only imagine what she was telling him. "She has a right to know why Jasper's treating her like shit, Esme."

"Jasper's going to be angry when he finds out."

"Then let him be angry." Edward held out his hand, "Come with me, Bella. We have lots to talk about."

I took his hand and followed him through the manor. "Let's go for a drive. I'm sure you could use time outside the house."

I nodded. "Please."

He smiled and led me out to the car. I was small and black. Edward helped me into the passenger seat then came around to the driver's side.

"What do you know about Alice?" He asked.

"Not much really." I admitted. "I know she died a long time ago. She must have been important to Jasper if he doesn't like talking about her."

"Jasper's relationship with Alice was very complicated. She was human when they met." Edward started. "Alice was from a time when humans had no knowledge about vampires. Jasper had joined our family ten years before they met. He was still struggling greatly with our diet. Jasper spent more than a hundred years feeding from humans before he lived with us."

I listened careful as I glanced out the window.

"We had just moved to Mississippi when he met her. She was a very petite girl. Carlisle kept hearing rumours about the girl. Apparently they all believed she was crazy."

"Why?"

"She had visions." Edward paused and said nothing for a while. "She was my singer."

"Your singer?" I repeated.

"A singer is someone whose blood calls to a vampire." He explained. "And Alice was mine. Despite that, Jasper fell in love with her. She knew from her visions that we weren't quite human. She may not have known or said anything outright but she had a general idea. Jasper was the one that told her exactly what we were."

"So what happened to her?"

Edward didn't speak.

"How did she die?" I tried.

He sighed and looked at me. Pain and regret flashed through his eyes. "Alice was very beautiful for a human. Humans think vampires are beautiful, and I suppose we are to some extent." I snorted at that. He ignored me and continued. "Jasper wasn't the only one to fall in love with her."

"So you were in love with her as well?"

"Yes." His hands tightened on the wheel. "But Alice didn't want me. She said she was in love with Jasper and nothing was ever going to change her mind."

I reached out to comfort him before I realized what I was doing and dropped my hand. I looked out the window again, silently cursing myself for my stupidity.

He glanced at me before continuing. "I tried to avoid them whenever they were together. Alice used to try and draw me out of wherever I was hiding. It used to annoy Jasper but she didn't care. I couldn't bear to see her upset so more often than not; I would succumb to her wishes. I was weak when it came to her." He drew in a sharp breath. "One morning, Jasper and I got into an argument over her. He was upset that I kept spending so much time with his girlfriend. He thought I was trying to steal her away from him."

"Were you?"

"No." He snapped.

"I'm sorry." I said immediately, flinching away from the harshness.

He frowned and put a cold hand on my knee. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap."

I nodded and stared out the window.

"Do you want to hear what happens next?" he asked.

"If you want to tell it,"

He let out another sigh. "Alice came over that morning. Esme had called her, when Jasper and I got into a fight. Esme thought Alice would be able to knock some sense into us. She physically tried to slit us up."

I winced.

He nodded, noticing my reaction. "Yes, it went bad. During that fight, we were both letting go of emotions we were holding in and Jasper started projecting."

"Projecting?"

"He never told you?" I stared at him blankly. "Jasper's an empath. He can feel and change emotions when he sees fit. When it starts to become overwhelming, sometimes he'll start projecting." He ran a hand over his face. "We let out our animal instincts so when Alice tried to intervene, she went flying across the yard and hit a tree.

"She started bleeding." Edward's voice dropped to a whisper. I had to strain to hear him. "Her blood was so strong I couldn't control myself." His voice cracked. "Before anyone knew what happened, I had already drunk the last drop of blood in her."

"And she died."

He nodded, avoiding my gaze. "Jasper wanted to rip off my head and set me on fire because of what I did. I wouldn't have stopped him. I deserved anything he threw at me. I wanted him to kill me. I loved Alice and I never wanted that to happen to her. Jasper ripped off both my arms before Carlisle and Emmett could stop him. Esme sat with me as my arms fused back together, even when I begged her just to end my miserable existence."

I reached out and put my hand on Edward's arm. I didn't say anything but I think he may have appreciated the gesture.

"Jasper left after that." He continued. "He couldn't stand to be in the same room with me without wanting to tear me apart. The rest of the family tried to keep us away as well."

"Is that why he reverted back to human drinking?"

"Yes." Edward took my hand from his arm and stared at it. "Since his love died, he didn't see any reason why he should remain on the vegetarian diet. He left the family and went to live with Peter and Charlotte."

"Is that why he's so wary of me?" I asked. "He doesn't seem to like me much."

"It's not you, Bella. You just remind him so much of Alice."

"But I'm not Alice."

"No, you're not." Edward agreed. "Jasper can't let her go. He feels guilty."

"Why should he feel guilty?"

"He feels like he's betraying Alice if he goes into a relationship with you. We've all tried to tell him that it isn't betraying her. Alice would have wanted Jasper to live on and be happy but he can't."

"You're talking as though he does want to be in a relationship with me." Edward looked at me, raising an eyebrow. "Jasper hates me."

"No, he doesn't. He is very protective of you, Bella. You can't see it because all you see is what he shows you. Underneath his stoic exterior, everyone can see how much he cares about you. We've all known Jasper for a long time. We can see what he's really feeling. To a human, he may seem cold and uncaring but to a vampire, he just doesn't want to get hurt again."

"I would never hurt him." I whispered.

"Bella, look at me." He slipped a hand under my chin and lifted my eyes to meet his. "Do you love him, Bella?"

I bit my lip, squeezing my eyes shut. "Yes."

**JPOV**

"Esme, where's Bella?"

She looked nervous. "She's with Edward."

My jaw clenched. "Where?"

"They went for a drive."

There could only be two possible reasons why Edward would take her away from the house. One, to get her away from me and convince her I was evil, or two, to get her out of this house so he could tell her something he doesn't want me to know.

Two seemed to be the most plausible.

"When did they leave?"

"Two hours ago, maybe?" she looked at Adrian. Why was it everywhere I went that baby was there?

I nodded my head and headed out of the room. Edward was really beginning to make me angry. He seemed to have a death wish. I swear to god, if something happens to her, he's not going to live long enough for Carlisle to fuse him back together.

As I headed out I noticed Edward and Bella coming up the driveway. Bella was leaning against Edward, her eyes drooping from exhaustion.

_What did you do to her?_ I growled at him.

"She's just tired." Edward snapped. "I didn't do anything to her." Edward scooped Bella up and carried her bridal style towards the door. I stepped in his view.

"I'll take her from here."

"She's already comfortable, Jasper. Just leave her be."

"Give her to me, Edward." I held out my arms and waited. _Don't test me, Eddie-boy_.

"Mm, Edward?" Bella asked. "Can I sleep with Adrian?"

"Of course." He smiled. "I'll get him as soon as you lie down."

My patience was dwindling as Edward pushed pass me. I followed behind, keeping an eye on them. I felt Bella's contentment as she snuggled further into his chest.

I had enough. I took Bella from him, jerking her awake. "Wos going on?" she looked around and blinked up at me. "Jasper?"

"Rest Isabella,"

She stayed stiff and still in my arms as I led her towards the guest room. "Where are we going?"

"I don't want you in the servant quarters anymore. If you won't stay in my room than fine but I don't want you in the servant quarters."

**Unknown POV **

I knew what we needed to do.

"We're going to have to draw him out." I said. "It's the only way to get her out of there."

"What if something goes wrong?"

"Nothing's going to go wrong." I said. "If you stick to the plan, everything will work out and we won't have anything to worry about."

"Does anyone else think this is a bad idea? We're talking about stealing the God of War's human."

"This is exactly why we need to get her out of there. No one knows what he's doing to her."

"He's going to come after us."

"Then let him."

**BPOV**

"Ha! I knew it."

"Do you mind keeping your voice down?" I scowled at Rhiannon. "I don't want him to know."

"Why not?" She asked. She picked Adrian up before he could crawl away.

"Because he doesn't like me at all," I growled. "He pushed me away when I kissed him. He clearly hates me."

"You don't know that for sure, Bella. There could have been some other reason why he pushed you away."

I snorted. "Yeah, and what's that?"

Rhiannon opened her mouth to say something, then shut it when she realized she couldn't come up with a good answer.

We worked in silence for several minutes. Rhiannon was helping me wash the kitchen floors. "Why did you kiss him, Bella?"

"Because I wanted to,"

She didn't believe me. "Try again there Bella."

I huffed and glared at her. She put her hands on her hips, waiting. "Fine," I groaned. "I didn't want him to hurt Edward. I don't know what they were talking about but I knew Jasper was going to try and hurt him. I didn't want that to happen so I distracted him."

"By kissing him,"

I nodded. "It worked. Until he pushed me away,"

"How did you feel when you kissed him?"

I bit my lip as I remembered the feel of his lips against mine. I've never kissed a man before. It was a very strange experience. And I kissed a vampire! His lips were cold and hard as marble but they were so soft against mine. I could imagine running my fingers through his hair, curling it around my fingers...

"Bella?"

I shook my head against the images and looked at her. "What did you say?"

"I said how did you feel when you kissed him?"

"At first, I felt really good. His lips were so soft against mine." I swallowed back my tears. "He pushed me away and the reality of everything came crashing down on me."

"What do you mean, Bella?"

"Jasper can never love me, Rhiannon. He's always going to love Alice. No matter how much I'm willing to give up for him, he can't see that."

"You just have to be patient Bella. It will happen."

"No. It won't." I shook my head. "I love Jasper. I want him to love me but that is never going to happen."

"You don't know that for sure."

"Jasper doesn't want to love another human, Rhiannon. I know what happened between him and Alice. Edward told me. He's built a wall over his heart to protect him for getting hurt. What are my chances of breaking through that barrier?"

I could see from the look in her eye that she agreed with my assessment. "Maybe I should talk to Peter and go live with the Cullens instead. They at least seem to like me."

"The Cullens love everyone, human or vampire."

"Really?"

"Well, not everyone."

I snickered at her. "Why do you find this amusing?"

"Cause it is?"

She threw a dishrag at me and picked up Adrian. "Baby, what do you say we go find Rosalie? I'm sure she would love to see you."

I shuddered. Rosalie Hale was one vampire I was too frightened of to ever have any sort of conversation with. Not only is she gorgeous but she's a complete and utter bitch. I don't know how the rest of the Cullens, let alone her mate, can put up with her.

Charlotte walked into the room with a nervous looking Esme. "Oh, Bella, here you are."

"Is something wrong?" I wiped my hands on the dishtowel.

"Jasper wants to have another feeding."

I stiffened.

"You don't have to worry, Bella. It'll be okay."

"Come on. We better not keep Jasper waiting."

**JPOV**

Bella walked into my bedroom with Charlotte and Esme. Bella was stiff and I could sense her fear.

"Come here, Bella." I held out my hand and sent her a wave of calm. Her body relaxed but she hesitated in taking my hand. "You don't have to be afraid, Bella. I'm not going to hurt you." God, this was getting annoying. She knew from the last feeding what it was like.

She slipped her hand into mine and moved onto the bed. "I think it's better if we leave, Esme." Charlotte said softly.

Esme nodded. Before she left, Esme came and pressed a kiss to Bella's forehead. "Don't worry, darling. We'll come see you in a little while."

Bella nodded and closed her eyes once the door shut softly. I sent a wave of calm towards her before I bit into the tender flesh in her neck. Much like last time, memories washed over me.

"_Bella, what did I tell you?" _

"_I'm trying, Papa. My hands are cold." Bella held the bow and arrow. It wasn't very straight. Her hands were trembling. _

"_Try to ignore everything else around you." The man said. "Keep your eye on what's important." He paused as she took the shot. It barely hit the mark. "That's better but not good enough." _

_Bella dropped her arms. They were shaking. "Papa, I'm tired. I can barely keep the bow up straight." _

_He sighed and ran a hand over his face. "All right. That's enough for tonight. We'll start training first thing in the morning." _

"_Papa?" Bella asked tentatively. "Why do the vampires want humans so much?" _

"_It's all a part of their game, Izzie." The man said, taking the bow from her. _

"_But why? Why can't they just leave us alone? Why kill innocent babies?" _

"_Vampires need humans to survive, much like we need animals to survive." He explained as they walked down into the tunnels. _

"_That doesn't explain why they kill innocent babies." She said. "They're killing off their own food supply. It doesn't make any sense." _

"_I know it doesn't. Nothing these vampires do makes sense." He grumbled. "It's all about Predator vs. Pray. The vampires are afraid that if they allow the babies to grow into adults, they could inevitably turn on them."_

"_That's ridiculous." Bella laughed without humour. "Vampires are stronger and faster by nature. Humans couldn't possibly turn on them." _

"_I know that. You know that. But the vampires don't seem to grasp that. It's their fear of being thrown back into hiding that makes them behave like this." _

"_It's not like the humans wouldn't know there were vampires around." _

_He shrugged. _

"_Isn't there anything to protect the humans from vampires?" _

"_I've heard rumours but I can't be sure." _

_Her interest peeked. "What kind of rumours?" _

_The man looked at Bella with tired eyes. "It's better I don't tell you, Bella. I don't want to get ideas into your head. They're just rumours. No one knows if they're true or not."_

"_But what if they are true? Papa, we could be saved from the vampires!"_

"_I don't want to talk about this anymore, Bella."_

"_But Papa—"_

"_I mean it, Isabella! I don't want to talk about it." _

_She flinched away from the hard tone and nodded her head, staring indifferently at the darkness in front of her. _

xXx

I pulled away, and for the second time, I looked down at Bella. Much like last time, she passed out from the blood loss. I didn't complain. I need to think about everything I saw.

I needed Carlisle.

**CPOV**

"Carlisle!"

I looked up at Jasper. His face was flushed, his eyes a more prominent red. He must have just finished feeding from Bella.

"What can I do for you, Jasper?" I asked, returning my gaze to the book.

"It happened again."

"What happened again?"

"I saw her past when I drank from her." His frustration was leaking into his voice.

I sighed and closed the book, clasping my hands together as I looked at him. "All right, Jasper. I'm listening. What exactly did you see?"

"She was with her father. He was teaching her how to use a bow and arrow. She was cold and the arrow didn't hit the mark." He continued to tell me the rest of what happened.

"That's interesting." I said, leaning forward. "Bella's father knew about the wolves' community. I wonder exactly how many humans know about that." I mused.

Jasper huffed in annoyance. "This isn't helping Carlisle."

"What is it you want, Jasper?"

"I want to know why this keeps happening. Why do I see her past when I drink from her?"

"I've already told you that Jasper. You're the one that refuses to believe it."

"Do you mean your crack pot theory that Bella is my mate?" he growled.

"Yes, Jasper. That is exactly what I'm saying." I ran a hand through my hair. "When are you going to see what's really going on? You're an empath and yet you're too blind to see how much Bella loves you. I see and so does everyone else. When are you going to admit that you love her too?"

He didn't look at me. "I do not love Bella!"

I rolled my eyes, my frustration building. "You're in denial, Jasper. You need to let yourself love, Jasper. Alice may be gone but I know she wouldn't want you to live your life like this. You are capable of so much love and yet you're still clinging on Alice. You need to realize that Bella isn't always going to be here. One day, when you finally realize the truth, you're going to find that Bella is gone. And then where will you be?" I could see my words hitting him hard but he still refused to acknowledge it. "Maybe you should send her to live with the wolves. She'll be happy there. And safe. Who know, maybe she'll find love there."

My words seemed to have the appropriate response. He slammed me into the wall, his hands around my neck. I really wished he hadn't done it this was but if this was the only way to get through to him, then so be it.

"Bella is not going anywhere near those disgusting mutts. If I so much as hear you mention it, I will gleefully rip you apart."

He dropped his hand and I dropped to my feet. "Say what you want Jasper, but you want her just as much as she does. You just refuse to believe it."

Before he could say anything else, a scream echoed through the house. It could have only come from one place.

I turned to Jasper but he was already gone.

_Bella. _

**A/N: ****All right, that's all for today. I'm sorry about the cliffy. I needed to put that there. This chapter was getting too long. I hope you liked the Alice/Edward/Jasper issue. It was a little difficult to write. I didn't even know what I wanted until I wrote it. **

**Next update should be after Christmas. **

**Happy Holidays :)**

**Ow, and review please. Let me know what you think. **


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N: Okay, so this is the next chapter.**** I know there were a lot of people who hated the cliffy but it was necessary. Plus, most people were wrong behind the reason Bella screamed. Enjoy. **

**WARNING****: there is a disturbing scene in the beginning. If you don't like to read that kind of stuff, skip it. **

Chapter 13

**BPOV**

My nerves went haywire. I knew Jasper wouldn't hurt me but it didn't stop me from fearing him.

When Jasper's mouth covered my neck, I closed my eyes. Much like the last time he drank from me, memories of Jasper's past filled my mind. Unlike last time, this was a lot more gruesome and I could hear what they were saying.

They were sitting in a dark room.

"Mmm. Jasper, you were wonderful today." A woman purred. I squinted my eyes and barely made out the outlines of Jasper and the black haired woman. A candle was lit and I immediately saw more than I was prepared for.

Jasper was lying naked on the bed, his body barely covered by a sheet with the woman lying over his body, equally naked. He was stroking her hair.

"Are you referring to the newborns or the sex?"

"Both." She buried her face in the crook of his neck. She pressed hard kisses against his neck and chest, moving downward. Jasper moaned as the woman's head bobbed up and down beneath the sheet.

I snapped my gaze away from them, begging for this to be over.

"Mmm, I'll never get tired of hearing you scream my name." She slithered up his body like a snake. "I have something for you my love."

"Oh? What's that?" Jasper asked seductively.

Maria got out of bed and walked to the door. I saw more than I wanted as she opened the door and called to the guard. "You called, Mistress?"

"Bring me Major Whitlock's reward."

"Yes, Mistress." The guard disappeared and I peeked out the door. I watched the guard disappear out of view. Moments later, he came back, carrying a little girl in his arms. The child was sleeping and she looked so innocent.

"Thank you, Clayton. You're excused."

Maria took the child and brought her to Jasper. Jasper sat up and watched as Maria came closer. "She's all yours, my love."

Jasper looked from Maria to the child. "Is she asleep?" he asked.

"Yes."

Jasper took the girl and brought her closer. The sudden movement woke her up. "Momma?" she looked around, blinking. Then she looked at Jasper and she shrunk back, away from his red eyes. "Have you seen my momma?"

"No." He said. "But you'll see her real soon." Maria added.

I shivered, knowing what happened to her. "Go on, Jasper. Her blood is fresh and sweet. You can't deny the taste of a child."

Jasper looked at the little girl. I didn't have to be an empath to know that she was terrified of him. "Don't worry, little one." Jasper moved his lips to her neck. "It will all be over soon."

I screamed, trying to look anywhere but at the scene before me. The girl echoed my screams until hers came to an abrupt halt. She fell when Jasper let her go and I could see blood running down the side of her neck where he bit her. Jasper watched with hunger before licking the blood as it ran down and seeped onto her white nightgown.

I felt like I was going to vomit. My stomach churned and I couldn't stop screaming at the visual of Jasper feeding from such an innocent child.

xXx

"Bella! Bella, stop!"

I thrashed against the hands holding me down. "Let me go! Let me go!" I screamed.

"Bella! It's Carlisle. Calm down, Bella."

My screams dropped to a whimper and I opened my eyes, looking into Carlisle's worried eyes. "Bella, what happened?"

I shook my head, unable to tell him. The entire thing was horrible. "Please," I whimpered.

"Please what, Bella?"

I clutched his shirt as tears fell down my eyes.

"Is everything all right, Carlisle?" I looked past Carlisle's shoulder and noticed Jasper standing there.

I moved backwards quickly, letting go of my hold on Carlisle and hid my face in my hands. "Keep him away from me."

"Bella, what happened?"

"Keep him away from me." I repeated.

"Jasper, perhaps you ought to leave while I talk to Bella."

"No. If something happened, I have a right to know what it is."

"You will." Carlisle growled. "But she isn't speaking and I would rather she were comfortable when we speak. If she doesn't want you here, then you need to get out."

I avoided Jasper's gaze at all costs, so I don't know whether he left or not.

"It's okay, Bella. You're safe." Carlisle whispered. "Jasper's gone."

I peeked out and swallowed my relief.

"Bella, would you like to tell me what happened? That was quite the scream."

I rubbed my throat subconsciously. It was sore and raw from all the screaming. Carlisle disappeared for half a minute before he reappeared with a glass of water. "Here you go, Bella."

I smiled weakly and drank it slowly. "When he drank from me, I saw his memory again. It was horrible." I shook my head, trying to forget the mental images. "Jasper was with Maria."

Carlisle stopped me immediately. "Bella, you don't need to finish explaining." He wrapped me in his arms and held me as I cried.

"It was so awful, Carlisle. That poor little girl,"

**CPOV **

Bella cried herself to sleep.

Throughout that, I held Bella, much to Jasper's annoyance. He paced impatiently back and forth outside, waiting to hear the explanation.

Charlotte and Peter came in at one point to see how she was doing. Esme even brought Adrian. It was quite amazing to see the tiny child curl up against Bella, as though he knew she needed him there.

"Carlisle, you need to talk to Jasper. If you don't do it soon, he's going to break something or wake Bella." Esme said.

I nodded and gently disentangled myself from the girl.

Jasper was waiting by the door, having overheard our conversation. "Let's go somewhere more private, shall we?"

I was tired. Between Jasper's constant projection of irritation and Bella's fear of Jasper, I needed time for myself. Maybe I could get Esme...

"What happened?" Jasper barked. "Why did Bella scream like that? Why did she kick me out?"

"Because she's afraid of you, Jasper,"

"Afraid of what? I haven't hurt her."

"During the bloodletting, Bella had a particular horrible memory from you." I answered. "One that starred Maria."

Jasper flinched. "Did she say what she saw?"

"Nope. She didn't need to. Whatever she saw, it certainly wasn't pleasant. She kept repeating "That poor little girl". Do you know what it could have been?"

If it was possible, Jasper would have paled considerably. "There was only one time. Two years after I was reborn." Jasper seemed distant. "Maria brought in a little girl. She was so small, so innocent. Maria said it was my reward."

I didn't need to hear the rest. Whenever he mentioned reward, I knew it had to be a feeding.

"Bella saw that?" Jasper whispered.

"Yes. Or at least, I think she did." I shook my head. Poor Bella was absolutely terrified of Jasper.

"I have to talk to her. I need to know exactly how much she saw."

"That probably isn't the best idea, Jasper. Bella's frightened of you. Remember what happened when I woke her up? She won't want to see you or talk to you. You need to give her time to heal and give her the chance to come to terms."

"But she won't." Jasper growled.

"She will over time. When she's ready, she'll want to talk to you. But right now, she can't. Give her that space and it will happen soon."

Jasper roared with fury but otherwise followed my advice. He turned and jumped out the window to get away.

**JPOV**

I should have known something like that would have happened.

Bella shouldn't have seen that. What she saw was something I never wished for her to see. Yes it was horrible and I've paid for those mistakes but Bella doesn't know the extent of which it happened. She can't understand that.

I may not have cared much for the girl herself but I wouldn't wish those memories on my worst enemy.

I didn't recognize the pang that went through me at that, which was strange, seeing as I was the empath. Was it true, that underneath everything I've done and said I _do _care about Bella more than I was willing to admit?

Bella was brave and beautiful, and protected those she loved fiercely. She fought back, even when she shouldn't and annoyed the hell out of me.

Could I finally be admitting what everyone else has been saying? Is it possible to let go of Alice and love someone such as Bella? Despite the fact that Bella was human, she was everything I could ever want in a mate. And thinking about her with someone else, someone like _Edward_, it made me seethe with anger and... jealousy? Was I jealous of Bella's relationship with Peter? With Edward? Peter may have had a mate, but both he and Charlotte loved Bella.

Would Bella fall in love with Edward?

I could picture the two of them together: Edward and Bella lying together, Bella's head on his stomach as he stroked her hair. I could see them together, wrapped around each other, Edward's arms wrapped around Bella's waist, his chin on her shoulder as they laughed at something. Worst of all, I could see him kissing her softly as she ran her fingers through his hair.

Those images made me angry. Edward didn't deserve Bella! Bella was everything anyone could ask for. Despite being human, she was perfect in every way. I could only imagine how capable and strong she will be if she was ever changed. The feel of her soft lips against mine... it made me moan, just thinking about. I would have loved to feel those lips against mine again.

Before I had the chance to think more about it, my phone rang. I was tempted to ignore it but I figured it would be important. The only reason someone would call when I was away would be if it was an emergency.

"Hello?"

**BPOV**

I was only able to sleep for a couple of hours before a noise outside woke me.

Fearfully, I crawled out of the warm bed and walked to the window, peeking out. The room was strangely deserted. Usually there was at least someone here.

When I looked down, I nearly gasped when I saw horse-like creatures walking around the house. I backed away and searched for somewhere to hide.

It was a useless effort. Before anything could happen, a large, hot hand came over my mouth, muffling my scream.

"Shh, relax. I'm not going to hurt you but you need to quit screaming." The deep, husky voice whispered, barely loud enough for me to hear.

I nodded, too scared to answer or do anything but listen.

The man threw me onto his back and walked to the window. "Close your eyes and hold on tight." He ordered.

Doing as he asked, I wrapped my arms around his neck tightly as my legs squeezed around his waist. I buried my face in his shoulder blades, taking a deep breath before the sensation of falling took the breath out of me. I didn't have time to scream before we started moving.

oOo

"Have you got her?"

"Yes."

"Is she hurt?"

I didn't hear the answer but I felt him shake his head. "She's asleep. Fell asleep half way here." I guess he didn't realize I was awake and didn't actually fall asleep like he thought. Was it a bad idea to pretend like I was? It's not like I actually understand what was happening or who these people were. And what happened to those giant horse things?

"Did she cause any problems?"

"None. It was very strange." He mused.

"Good." There was tense silence around. "Take her into the cottage. Have Sue take a look at her and make sure she wasn't harmed. Then I want you to come back and give a full explanation about what happened."

Silence, but this time I knew he nodded.

Once the man started walking, I peeked out and looked around. Shock rippled through me when I looked around. We were walking through what appeared to be a small community. There were cottages and buildings and even people walking around freely, laughing and talking.

Something from my past registered in my head.

It was a conversation I overheard my parents talking about one day. They talked about a community that protected humans from the vampires. Could this be what they were discussing and didn't want me to know about? Dad thought they were rumours while Mom was adamant that it was true.

When the man came to a stop, I quickly closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep.

"You don't have to pretend. I know you're awake."

I winced and opened my eyes. More shock went through me when I realized this wasn't a man but rather a really tall, really filled out _boy_.

"Who are you?"

The boy smiled widely, his white teeth shinning against his russet skin. "The name's Jacob,"

"What do you want from me?" I whispered.

"From you? Nothing. We brought you here for your own protection."

"Protection against what?"

"The vampires,"

I swallowed back my fear. "Those horse things, what were they?" I asked.

"Shape shifters. And we aren't horses. We phase into werewolves."

"Aren't wolves smaller than that?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Sue?" he called.

A woman with black hair and dark skin came out, looking at Jacob. "What is it, Jacob? You don't have to yell."

He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Sue. I've brought you Bella."

I looked between the two. "Can you let me down now?"

Jacob winked at me and set me down again.

**PPOV**

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S _**GONE**_?"

I've only been on the wrong side of his anger once. And that time, I lost a fucking arm.

"Answer me Peter or so help me you won't be able to walk."

"The wolves surrounded us. I thought someone was with her but apparently no one was. The wolves caused a distraction and took her out before anyone realized she was gone."

Jasper's anger didn't calm but he was strategizing. "Are you sure the wolves took her?"

"It smells like wet dog in your bedroom. It could only have been the wolves."

Jasper paced the room, his anger rippling and projecting. He was muttering under his breath about what he was going to do.

I leaned against the wall, watching until he was ready to talk.

"We need to get her back."

I blinked at him, straightening up. "I'm sorry, what?"

"We're going to get her back."

"Jasper, have you gone crazy? You want to infiltrate the werewolves' community to take Bella back?"

He nodded stiffly.

I couldn't seem to wrap my head around it. "Don't you think Bella is better off where she is?" I asked.

"No!" he roared. "I won't allow Bella to stay in that mutt infested trap." He growled. "I will get Bella back, alone if I have to."

I sighed and shook my head. "You won't be alone Jasper. I want Bella back just as much as you."

Jasper growled and walked away.

I only hoped those wolves were treating Bella well, wherever she was.

**JPOV**

I should have known something like this was going to happen. I should have made sure someone was with her at all times.

Those mutts better keep her safe or so help me god they will regret the moment they stole her from me.

"Jasper," Carlisle ran a hand over his face. "You need to think about this rationally. It's suicidal."

"It doesn't matter, Carlisle. I want her back."

He shook his head. "Do what you want, Jasper. Just don't do anything that will hurt Bella or the wolves."

"The wolves mean nothing to me. I'll get her back no matter what I have to do."

**A/N: That's all for today. I hope you liked it :) **

**Review please. **


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N: So here's the chapter. Sorry it's so late. I've been so busy with school, between summatives and exams coming up :( **

**Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not even Jazzy... D:**

Chapter 14

**BPOV**

The woman stared at me with a small smile. "It's very nice to meet you, Bella. My name is Sue."

I smiled nervously and took her outstretched hand. "Why am I here?" I asked tentatively.

"I'll leave you girls to it. I need to talk to Sam and see what he wants now." Jacob said. He grinned widely at me before disappearing out the door.

"Come, have a seat. Can I get you anything to eat? To drink?"

"I'm not really hungry." That was a lie. I was famished and I'm pretty sure Sue knew it.

"You don't have to be afraid of asking for something here, Bella. No one is going to hurt you for wanting to eat."

I nodded and wiped my clammy hands on my skirt. Sue got up and walked to the small kitchen. I took the opportunity to look around. The cottage was small but very cozy. The walls had warm colours and there were objects placed around the room that showed just how lived in it was.

It was the complete opposite of Jasper's house.

Sue came back with a tray of meats, fruit, cheeses and bread. My stomach growled and I blushed in embarrassment.

"Tell me Bella, how were you treated while you were living with the vampires?"

I blinked at looked down. "I wasn't treated too poorly. There was an occasion when one of the vampires tried to rape me but he didn't get very far when Jasper ripped him apart."

Sue cringed. "That's… good, I suppose." She leaned across the table, cupped my chin in her warm hand and lifted it up so she could examine my neck. "I see someone must have fed from you recently."

"Yes. Jasper fed from me a few hours before Jacob showed up and brought me here."

"Was that the first time he fed from you?"

I shook my head. "He fed from me one other time."

She nodded and pressed a gentle finger against my neck, over the bruise. I winced. "Would you like me to cover that for you?"

I nodded my head. Sue's hands dropped and she walked over to counter. She came back with white bandage and covered my neck. "Eat up, Isabella. You have to eat."

As I began eating the food slowly, the front door opened, slamming against the wall. I jumped with a squeak. "Mom? Are you here?"

"In the kitchen," Sue called.

I watched as a woman came inside carrying a tiny baby. "You brought Jack!" Sue said, smiling as she took the baby out of her arms.

She nodded. She noticed me for the first time and her eyes narrowed. Sue caught the look and frowned. "Leah, this is Bella. Bella, this is my daughter Leah and her son Jack."

Son. Baby. Oh, shit.

"What's wrong, Bella?" Sue asked.

I hadn't realized I said that out loud. "My baby,"

"What?" Leah asked.

"I had a little baby boy with me, when I was with Jasper. They let me bring him with me. He must still be at the house." Horror washed over me. Oh, God, what's going to happen? He's just a baby.

"We didn't know there was another human there." Leah said, narrowing her eyes further into slits.

I nodded my head. "Peter managed to convince the vampires to let me bring him. He's been with me since I was brought to Jasper's." I started panicking. Who knows what Jasper's going to do now that I wasn't there?

"Bella, you need to calm down." Sue said, handing the baby back to Leah. She crouched down in front of me and stared up at me. "Would Jasper do anything to hurt him?"

"I don't think so."

"Was there anyone at the manor that had a particular soft spot for him?" I thought about it and immediately relaxed. I nodded my head.

"Rhiannon and Peter. Oh, and Esme. She absolutely adores him."

"Vampires loving a human child? That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard." Leah scoffed, her eyes still narrowed.

While Sue didn't say anything out loud, I knew she agreed with that.

"Will I ever get to see him again?" I asked weakly.

Sue's face saddened. "It's unlikely. To go back to the manor would be suicide. The fact that we managed to extract you away from the God of War is a feat that none of us expect to achieve again."

I started at the title. "God of War?"

"Don't you know anything?" Leah snapped.

"Yes. But I've lived in the tunnels my whole life. I was on my own since my parents died and I avoided people in general. I didn't get the gossip spreading through the tunnels." I said, staring her straight in the eye. "Besides Adrian, I had no other company and he was only a baby. So forgive me if I don't know what the hell you're talking about."

I was surprised at my own reaction but I was tired of people thinking I'm stupid. My father taught me everything he knew and those lessons are what's important to me. Nothing else but keeping myself and Adrian alive.

Leah and I stared each other down before her lips turned up in a smirk. "I think you and I will get along just fine." She said before giving Sue a kiss on the cheek, took Jack and left.

I blinked in utter confusion. What just happened?

"You shouldn't worry about her." Sue said. "She's a little bitter."

"A little?" I didn't mean to say it but it just came out.

She laughed. "I know it doesn't seem that way but Leah is great once you get to know her. In fact, you impressed her when you fought against her. Most people who come close tend to cower. She likes to know who's weak or strong."

I nodded and concentrated on finishing the food. "Do you think I can go out and look around?" I asked Sue once I was finished.

"Of course. Just let stay within the walls,"

"The walls?"

"The walls were built to keep the vampires out." Sue explained.

"But I thought vampires can go through anything."

"They can. But they don't do it because it is usually surrounded by the wolves."

"How many wolves are there?" I asked.

"Close to fifty now, I believe. With the world infested with leaches, the wolf gene has exploded."

I shivered. "I'm going to go now." I said. I paused at the door and turned back to her. "Um, what do I do after? Where am I staying?"

"You'll be staying with me. If you get lost, just ask someone to bring you here." She said. "Everyone knows you're here. If they find you wandering around, they'll show you where to go."

"Thank you."

She smiled and began cleaning.

I left the house and walked around. It had to be late afternoon by now. Looking around, I noticed just how many people lived here. They were all out and laughing. The women weren't hiding in fear and the men didn't wear expressions that depicted their hardships. It was such a strange scene. I didn't know how to behave around humans anymore. Would they judge me for not fighting against Jasper when he wanted to feed from me? Would they judge me knowing I brought a baby to the manor? Would they judge me, knowing how I relaxed when I remembered Esme, the enemy despite her eating habits, had Adrian? So many questions went through my head. Questions I couldn't even think about asking.

Moving away from the group of people, I headed towards the trees. As I reached the entrance of the trees, I spotted an arrow and a quiver full of arrows. I looked around, searching for the owner. When I didn't find one, I decided to borrow them and see just how rusty I was. I walked further into the woods until I was completely hidden from anybody passing by.

Pushing my hair out of my face, I aligned my body the way my dad taught me. I could still hear his voice, telling me what to do. "Relax your arms and spread your feet, shoulder length apart. Lower you arm." I repeated the words that echoed in my head. "Relax and let go."

When I did, the arrow, while shaky, flew straight at the target. I smiled happily. It took me such a long time to get it right the first. It was nice to know that I was still able to do it after all this time. As I practiced, I realized how tired my arms got. They got weak from all these years. That was annoying.

A noise from behind me, alerted me to a visitor. I turned, pointing the arrow at whoever it was. It was a man. He stood leaning against a tree, watching with his dark eyes. "Who are you?" I demanded.

"So you're the one that took my arrows."

I lowered the bow and studied him. He was tall. Even taller than Jasper. He had dark skin and wore only cut off shorts. My cheeks warmed at the sight of his naked torso.

"I'm Bella."

"Yes, I know." He said. "My name is Sam. I'm the Alpha of the Pack."

He's the one Jacob told me when he dropped me off at Sue's. "I'm sorry about the arrows." I said, going to take them out of the tree. "They were just sitting there."

"Who taught you how to do that?"

"My father. He wanted me to know how to in case something happened to him."

"Judging from where you were, I'm going to assume something did?"

I nodded, struggling to pull out the last arrow. It was literally wedged in the trunk. "A couple of vampires killed him and my mother."

"How long have you stayed there without them?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know. It doesn't matter, either." I answered. "They're gone. I'm here. I'm safe." I faltered on that. I didn't know if I was safe for sure. Would Jasper come looking for me? What would I do if he did?

I knew I still loved Jasper. Was I afraid of him? Definitely. That was not something I ever expected to see in my life. The memory I had of Jasper was one of the worst things I've ever seen. There was no way you could see that and not feel afraid. But I still wanted Jasper.

"Are you always this quiet?" Sam asked.

I jumped in surprise at the sound of his voice. "Forgive me, I forgot you were there. I tend to zone out and think about other things after so many years alone."

"I understand." He said. "What were you think about, if I may be so bold?"

"I was thinking about Jasper." I admitted, refusing to look at him. "I was just wondering if he would come after me."

"Even if he did, he wouldn't be able to get past the wall." He spoke harshly.

I looked at him. "Why do you speak so harshly against him? Is it because he's a vampire?"

"That's part of it." He growled. "There is a lot of bad blood between us."

"What has he done to make you hate him this much?"

"He fought in the war against the humans. He is a vampire. We are enemies by nature."

I could tell there was more to it than that but I didn't respond. "I know how it feels to lose someone you care so deeply about." He said, staring out towards the entrance of the town. "I have every reason to hate vampires in general. But when it comes to Jasper, then it gets personal."

I wanted to ask him what it was but I was afraid. It wasn't exactly my place to ask in the first place.

"Are you not..." I struggled, looking for the right word. "Mated?" I finally asked. It seemed like an appropriate word. Rhiannon used to say I was mated to Jasper, though I think in the long run, we both disagreed with that.

"No, I am not mated." There was an underlying tone in his voice that said he was at some point but something happened to her.

"Leah told me you stood your ground against her." Sam chuckled. I turned to see his face. While he looked relaxed and teasing, even, his eyes were guarded. "Not many people are brave enough to go against her."

"I am not like other people. I can fight my own battles. Leah can be a bitch all she wants but that doesn't give her the right to hide her insecurities with an attitude."

Sam stared at me incredulously, and then burst out laughing. "That is the most... funniest thing... I've ever... heard." He said in between laughs. "I wish Leah was here to hear you say that." He shook his head and stood up. He had fallen over laughing. "Things just got a little bit more interesting with you here." He said.

"Glad I amuse you."

"I think you'll do just fine here."

I nodded my head at the comment and brought the bow and arrow back up for more target practice.

oOo

"You're back late." Sue said when I walked through the door.

"I'm sorry. I guess I just caught up on everything. I needed to sort through my feelings." I said, sitting down at the table in exhaustion.

"Would you like something to eat, or would you rather take a warm bath?"

"A bath sounds lovely. I feel all grimy." I admitted.

"I figured." She smiled. "I'll go warm up the water and find you something to wear. Just sit and relax for a while."

"Thank you, Sue."

"It is my pleasure, Bella."

I yawned and closed my eyes, listening to the silence all around me. While I was used to such silences, it was nice to know that instead of being surrounded by vampires, I was surrounded by a kind human woman who reminded me much of my mother.

I must have dozed off because the next minute, the door slammed closed and a voice boomed through the house. "Mom!"

I jumped up and looked around.

A tall boy with childlike eyes stared at me as I stared at him. Then he grinned and stuck a hand out. "Hi, I'm Seth."

I chuckled and took his hand in mine. I yanked it out at the touch of his burning hot skin. "Jeez, you're hot."

"Thanks, I work out a lot."

I rolled my eyes. "That's not what I meant." He laughed and said, "I know. I was just joking."

"Why is your skin so hot?" I asked curiously.

"All werewolves have warm skin." He said. "It's part of the gene."

"Strange." I smiled at him. "I'm Bella."

"I figured as much. Why else would a woman I don't know be sitting in my mother's kitchen with said mother nowhere to be found?"

I chuckled. "She's making me a bath."

"Did she say anything about grub?"

"Ah, no." I smiled apologetically.

"No big deal." He began raiding through the cupboards.

"Bella, you're bath is ready." Sue said, coming out and wiping her hands on a towel. "Hello, Seth. Please slow down before you choke on something."

Sue shook her head and led me to the bath. "Take as long as you'd like. There is a robe hanging on the door and clothes waiting for you on the bed.

"Thank you."

I stripped out of the grimy dress and sank into the water. It felt like absolute heaven. I relaxed into the water without a second thought.

**JPOV**

The baby would not stop wailing. It was beginning to get on my nerves. "Why won't that baby shut the hell up?" I snapped at Esme.

"He misses Bella." Esme said. "He's been with her for a long time. This is the longest he's been away from her."

"It hasn't even been twenty-four hours yet." I growled.

"Exactly. He's been around her all day, every day since before Peter brought them here. We started gradually pulling him away from her when they got there but he knows that something happened. He may be a baby but he is very perceptive. He's almost like Bella. It's kind of frightening." Esme admitted.

Annoyed, I sent him a wave of calm and lethargy. He fell asleep almost immediately.

"He's going to start wailing as soon as he wakes up again." Esme said.

"Then I'll keep him sedated."

"You can't keep him sedated forever."

"Esme, enough!" I snapped.

I paced the room. There was only so much I could possibly take. I never realized just how important Bella was, not only in my life but for everyone in the manor.

I felt horrible for how I treated Bella while she was here. And after the memory she had of Maria, I wouldn't be surprised if she never wanted to see me again.

The pang of regret went through me. I wanted Bella back.

There was no doubt about it. The minute I get past those mutts and get her back, I'm going to rip each and every one of them apart if they touched a hair on her head. I don't give a fuck what happens to them, so long as I have Bella and she's safe.

Esme was staring at my curiously. "What, Esme?" I snapped.

"You're in love with her, aren't you?"

"Who?" I asked, knowing who she was talking about. Judging from Esme's face and emotions, she knew exactly what I was doing.

"Bella, Jasper. You're in love with Bella."

"No. I just don't like the idea of Bella being taken by those disgusting mutts. I don't take kindly to people trying to steal what is mine."

"According to you, Bella isn't yours. She's just a human that you bought. You _own_ her. There is a difference between the two."

I ground my teeth together. "That's enough Esme."

She ignored me. "It's nice to know that you're finally in love with someone, Jasper. You haven't been the same since Alice died. Yes, it was tragic, but it was also an accident. Besides, Alice would have adored Bella. There is something about her that seems so innocent. They are similar in a way. And they both bring emotions out of you that are otherwise pushed away." Esme put her hand on my shoulder. "Just think about what I said, Jasper." She kissed my cheek and left.

I sat on the couch, staring at Adrian. I was surprised Esme left him here. She had to be up to something. She brought that baby everywhere.

Adrian was curled up, his face stained with dry tears. His little hand was clutching the cushion. He whimpered in his sleep. Cautiously, I walked over to him and picked him up. It felt a little awkward at first but it changed when he leaned his head against my chest, clutching my shirt instead. His emotions calmed and it had nothing to do with me. I stared down at him in shock. He woke suddenly and stared at me with cloudy eyes. "Mama?"

He wanted Bella. He thought Bella was his mother.

"Daddy," he curled into my further and I held still as a rock. He called me Daddy? He thinks I'm his father? I stared down at him. His curly dark hair matted against his head.

This baby pushed his love at me and I nearly succumbed from it. Did he love me? I knew he loved Bella. How could anyone not love someone as pure and innocent as Bella? How could _I _not love someone as pure and innocent as Bella?

Did I really love Bella? Was I ready to let go of Alice and let myself love again?

There was only one way to find out.

"Don't worry, Adrian. I'm going to get your mother back."

**A/N: Hope it was worth the wait. **

**Please Review. I love reading them. **


	16. Chapter 15

**A/N: So here is the new chapter. I was blown away by how many reviews I got. You all rock! Enjoy the chapter. **

**Sigh... I own nothing. **

Chapter 15

**BPOV**

_Adrian was crying. I held him against me, whispering that everything was going to be okay. He was shivering and there was nothing I could do to warm him up. "Shh." I whispered. His blanket was damp. There was no way I could use that to warm him up. It would only make things worse. _

_Staring down at the crying infant, I took off my sweatshirt and wrapped it around his tiny body. It didn't matter that the tunnels were freezing. Adrian was more important to me. _

_I rocked him gently, singing him to sleep. It was the same song my mom used to sing to me. He yawned and his eyes closed as he fell asleep. _

_Breathing out, I got up, careful not to jostle him, and started walking. We couldn't stay in one place for too long. Especially now that I had Adrian. He's been with me for about a month, at least I think so. _

_Coming to the end of the tunnel, there were two choices. I only had to worry about which one. Biting my lip, I hesitated in choosing. Finally I decided to go left. Following my gut, I walked slowly, looking around the tunnels for any sign of life or vampires. _

_Bodies of women and children were lying across the ground. I turned my head away, unable to look at them. I could see the cuts along their throats. It wasn't uncommon for people to take their own life. In fact, more and more people find death to be the best option than staying alive. _

_Before I found Adrian and after I lost my parents, I considered doing the same. I was alone and scared no matter what my dad did to toughen me out. _

_I didn't do it, because I know my parents wanted me to live. If I hadn't lived, I wouldn't have found Adrian and I think at this point, I needed him as much as he needed me. _

_Holding Adrian against my chest, I moved quickly, stepping over the body of a young little boy. His lifeless eyes were still open and staring at me. I shuddered, wishing I could close my eyes and wish me away from here. _

_Adrian started crying again, woken by the screams coming from somewhere close. I held him against me, whispering in his ear that everything was going to be okay. I rocked him until he calmed down enough that I was able to get away. The screaming continued until everything went silent. _

_Leaning heavily against the wall, I closed my eyes, slipping to the ground. I buried my face in Adrian's tiny neck and breathed him in. He gripped the strands of hair that fell out from the elastic and stared at me with his blue eyes. _

_I kissed his head. "Everything's going to be okay." _

_I hoped. _

I woke with a start, expecting to hear Adrian's cry. When it didn't come, I panicked. I needed to find him. Looking around the room, I realized I was no longer in the manor.

My mind was hazy from sleep. As memories started coming back, I sat up. I was in the werewolves' community. And Adrian wasn't with me.

I needed to bring him back. Perhaps I can talk to Sam. He is my best option at getting him out of the manor. I didn't care what Sue said. I would go and get him myself if I had to. Getting out of the bed, I threw on the clothes that were sitting on a chair—glad to be in pants again—and headed out of the room. Sue was in the kitchen, cooking breakfast.

"Good morning, Bella." She said cheerfully. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine," I lied. "Do you know where I can find Sam? I need to talk to him about something."

She looked at me in surprise. "You've talked to Sam before?"

I nodded. "I talked to him yesterday while I was out. I stole his bow and arrow."

Sue turned back to the stove, but judging from the look on her face, she wasn't expecting that. I took that to mean Sam wasn't one for conversation.

"So, do you know where I can find Sam?" I probed.

"Try the cliff." She said. "He likes to go there when he's stressing about something. You'll find him there often enough. If not, than try the woods."

"Thanks." I grabbed a piece of toast off the table and left. The cliff wasn't hard to find. Besides, it was a nice morning. The sun was shining and people were walking around, enjoying the day. As I walked towards the cliff, I saw Sam sitting at the ledge, staring out at the water. The sun shone across the water, making it sparkle. It was beautiful.

"What are you doing here?" Sam asked as I came closer.

"How did you know I was coming?"

"I could hear you." He said. He twisted around and stared at me with those incredibly beautiful dark eyes. "Are you just going to stand there or are you going to sit down?"

I smiled hesitantly and moved to sit down. I kept a small space between us and looked down. The bottom was far and I could see rocks at the bottom.

"What are you doing here so early in the morning?"

"I needed to talk to you about something." I said, leaning back on my hands.

"So talk."

"When Jacob took me from the manor yesterday, I wasn't the only human in the house." I said, biting my lip.

He whipped around and stared at me hard. "What are you talking about?"

"There was a baby boy with me." I said. "He wasn't with me at the time but he was with Esme."

Sam cursed under his breath. "Why is he keeping the child? Don't those bloodsuckers kill babies?"

"Yes." I admitted. "But the vampire that got me out of the Centre allowed me to bring Adrian with me. I couldn't leave him behind and let him be killed. He was all I had when I lived in the tunnels."

"Have you always lived in the tunnels?"

I nodded. "My dad heard about this community." I said, staring out at the water. "He thought it was a rumour, though."

"Not a lot of humans know about us."

"Why?"

"It's all a matter of keeping the vampires away."

"But don't they know where you are anyway?" I asked.

He nodded. "But they know better than to come here." Sam growled.

"I think if my dad knew the truth about this place, he would still be alive." I said sadly looking down at my hands.

"That's not necessarily true." He said.

We sat in silence and I sighed. "Sam, do you think I can get Adrian back?"

"I don't know for sure, Bella. It won't be easy getting back in there. You were hard enough."

"Can't you try?" I pleaded. "He's the most important person in my life. I can't... I need to keep him safe."

Sam stared at me hard.

"Please."

"I'll see what I can do." He promised. "But I can't promise anything, Bella."

"Thank you."

***

Sam made me stay in the confines of the walls while he went back to the manor. I wandered, unable to sit still and wait for information. I bit my lip until it bled. I plopped onto the ground, lying on my back and staring at the sky. I was anxious, especially since Sam has been gone for almost three days. I needed to hear news about Adrian, and, even though I hated to admit it, Jasper.

I closed my eyes, letting my mind wander to thoughts of Jasper.

I could picture Jasper lying on the grass beside me, his arms wrapped loosely around my waist, nuzzling my neck. He breathed in my scent and sighed. I could imagine the feel of his cool lips against my neck, moving from my neck, up to my jaw, across my cheek, pausing just at my lips. He stares down at me, his eyes a beautiful golden colour instead of the alarming red. I could imagine his hand reaching up to cup my cheek, stroking it gently. I could imagine the love shining in his eyes as he leaned down and brushed his lips across mine.

"Bella!" Sue's voice interrupted the fantasy and I sat up, looking at her.

"What?"

"Sam's back." She said.

Scrambling to my feet, I followed her back to the house. I saw a group of wolves, surrounding him. I pushed my way through, stopping just beside Leah.

He looked at me as I waited impatiently. "Well?"

He shook his head. "It's nearly impossible to get him out, Bella." Sam said. "He's always near one of the vampires."

"What about Jasper? He's not hurting him, is he?" That was one of the things I was worried about. Jasper only put up with Adrian because he was important to me. And for some, unknown, parallel reason, Jasper seemed to care about me, even if it is only miniscule.

"No. For whatever reason, the kid seems to be around him the most."

I didn't understand. "Jasper's been taking care of Adrian? Are you serious?"

Sam nodded.

I couldn't help but wonder what changed. I knew how much Jasper disliked Adrian. He usually spent his time away from him.

"There really is no way around him?"

"I'm sorry, Bella."

My heart broke. I nodded my head in acknowledgement and walked away, ignoring the stares of pity. I needed to be alone. I headed down to the cliff and sat down, staring at the water. I rested my head on my knees, wrapping my arms around them.

Tears ran down my face. I couldn't help it. I didn't want to lose Adrian.

Someone sat down beside me, wrapping their arms around me. I leaned my head against his chest, my eyes closed. "I'm sorry, Bella." Sam said, gently.

I sniffled. "It's okay." I whispered. "I knew it was nearly impossible."

"We can try and bring him back again."

I shook my head. "It's not worth it. Either one of you will get hurt or Adrian will and I don't want that to happen."

Sam and I didn't speak for a while.

"What do you have against Jasper?" I asked, tilting my head up so I could see his face.

"Do you remember when you asked me if I was mated?" I nodded. "I was, but she was killed. Jasper killed her."

I swallowed back the apology. I knew he didn't want my pity. Sam didn't seem like the kind of man that enjoyed other people pitying them.

"How did she die?" I asked tentatively. I didn't wait for an answer. It was better if I just let him speak when he wanted.

"Her name was Emily." He said. "She went out hunting for food one day. She was quite the archer." He laughed weakly. "She was about to take down a deer when Jasper came across her. He was starving, hadn't feed in a while. The minute he caught sight of her scent, he pounced a drained her before he realized what happened."

I rested my head on his chest. "What happened after that?"

"He knew who she was. My scent was all over her. He brought her to the wall and left before any of us could go after him. He was fast and strong. My mate had died at the hands of that bloodsucking monster." Sam growled. "Her funeral was one of the hardest moments of my life. Not even my first change caused this much agony." He fell silent, stroking my hair gently.

"You're like her, you know."

"How so?" I asked curiously.

"She was so passionate. And gentle. She knew what she wanted and fought for it when she had to." He looked down at me with his dark eyes. "Seeing you the other day, with my bow and arrow, it reminded me of her."

"I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "Don't be sorry." He said. "It happened a long time ago."

"Have you never thought about finding another mate?"

"I've thought about it."

Sam didn't continue so I knew it was better not to encourage it.

"Thank you for trying to get Adrian back for me."

He nodded and wrapped his arm around me as we both watched the sun set over the water.

**JPOV**

"Jasper, you need to feed." Peter said, staring at my eyes.

It's been almost a week since Bella was kidnapped by the mutts and almost nothing has been quite the same.

It was hard to admit just how much I missed having her around. She seemed to make everything so much brighter. And Adrian, he missed her almost as much as I did.

I looked down at the baby in my arms. "Mama?" he asked.

"Sorry little man. Mama's not back yet." I said. "But she will be soon."

Peter stared at me. "Jasper, you really need to feed soon."

I nodded. "Where?"

"Guest room,"

I was relieved. I didn't like having anyone else in my room. When I got to the guest room, there was a young girl lying asleep on the bed. While she didn't look anything like Bella, I wished so badly for her to be here.

I ignored everything else but the burn in my throat as I sat on the bed and sank my teeth into her tender neck. The blood went smoothly down my throat, cooling the burn but unlike the last few times with Bella, I didn't have the onslaught of memories.

I pulled away, leaving the girl alive.

I knew I needed to leave. I needed to get Bella back.

Peter met me on my way to my study. "Well, do you feel better?"

"No." I snapped. "I need to get Bella back."

Bryce and Wyatt came inside, along with Peter, Charlotte and the rest of the Cullens. Esme must have been with Adrian. "Why are we trying so hard to get the human girl back?" Bryce asked. "It's frustrating, especially when you can just go to the Centre and find someone else."

I glared at him.

"Why is she so important to you?" Wyatt asked, staring at me.

"Because she is my mate," It was the first time I admitted it out loud. I think the admittance shocked everyone.

"You've mated with a human?" Emmett started laughing. "That's hysterical."

"Shut up, Emmett." Peter snapped. "This is not the time."

If I wasn't so frustrated, I would have laughed.

"How are we going to get her back?" I demanded.

We launched into plans, none of them seeming like anything approachable. This was definitely going to take a while.

**A/N: REVIEW**

**Oh, and for those who want Jasper to rescue Bella ****soon, it will be in a little while.  
**


	17. Chapter 16

**A/N: Lots of changes in this chapter. A lot of people have been asking me if there is something going on between Sam and Bella. The answer is... written in the chapter. Jasper finally admitted he loves Bella! Yay! **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, put it on story alert or favourites :) **

**Anyway, enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

Chapter 16

**JPOV**

I hated mirrors.

Every time I catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror, I remember pieces of me that I wanted to forget. I could see the lies and the pain of my past. The horrible, disfigured scars that covered my skin.

So staring at myself in the mirror this time, catching the red gleam from my eyes and the prominent blue bruises under my eyes, I felt disgusted with myself.

My hands tightened into fists as my thoughts moved to Bella. I knew I loved her. There wasn't a fiber in my very being that could deny it any longer. She was my mate and she wasn't even here.

Would Bella ever truly be able to love me? I knew how scared she was when she saw the piece of my past with Maria. I knew my eyes frightened her. Did I even deserve her love? I haven't done anything to deserve her. Except with Michael. But then I had to go and screw it up.

Angry with myself and the situation we were in, I threw my fist into the mirror. It shattered easily, falling like rain all over the floor. I stared at the mess around me as my hand relaxed and my fingers flexed. I closed my eyes and sighed, centering myself.

As my body began to relax, my thoughts drifted to Alice as I remembered the first time I told her I loved her.

_We were sitting in the meadow. I could hear the sounds of the waterfall and Alice was picking a daisy from the ground, smiling softly. _

_God, she was beautiful. _

_I moved closer and put my hand under her chin, tilting her face up. I needed to see her eyes. She blinked at me and blushed deeply. I inhaled the smell, sighing softly. I loved the way she smelled. _

"_I love you, Alice." I whispered. _

_Her breath hitched. I wasn't surprised. It was the first time I told it to her verbally. "I love you, too, Jasper." _

_Very slowly, I leaned down and brushed my lips over hers. I could feel her surprise. That faded slowly as she leaned into the kiss, her tiny tongue poking out and licking my lip, tentative__ly asking for entrance. My lips parted willingly, as our tongues fought for dominance. Alice was always a force to be reckoned with. She fought dirty. Her little hands tugged at my chest, pushing me onto the grass. _

"_Alice," I whispered, breaking the kiss. I realized she still needed to breathe. _

_She peeked up at me, her beautiful gray eyes wide with excitement, her face flushed. "I'm always going to protect you, Alice." _

"_I know you will, Jasper." she whispered, leaning her head against my chest. "I love you." _

_I sighed happily. For the first time since I left Maria, I felt complete._

The memory slowly changed from Alice to a fantasy of Bella and, by association, Adrian.

_I was walking through the woods, listening to the sounds of laughter. I smiled, my ears perking at the sound__s of the giggling. _

"_No faiw__!" I heard in between the giggles. "You pwomised not to won,"_

_I heard Bella laugh. "I did no such thing." I saw Bella come into view, holding the curly haired, blue eyed boy I soon realized was Adrian. Adrian was pouting. When he saw me, he struggled in Bella's arms. _

_Bella put him on the ground and he ran to me. "Daddy! Mamma cheated!" _

_I picked him up into my arms and smiled. "She did, did she?" I snuck a glance at her and was astonished by what I saw. Bella was a vampire. Her skin was as pale as mine and she looked absolutely breathtaking. Her skin sparkled in the sun that peeked through the tree. What I didn't expect was to see her eyes were the same golden colour as the Cullens._

_I was startled by Adrian when he started kicking me. "Aunt Chawlotte! Uncle Petey!" _

_He jumped out of my arms and ran to them. I watched until I felt Bella put her head on my chest. She sighed and wrapped her arms around me. "He's getting so big." _

"_That's to be expected." I said, staring down at the goddess in my arms. _

"_I know. I'm just going to miss him when he's all grown up." _

"_He's always going to love you." _

_She looked me in the eye. "Will you?" _

_Her question startled me. Would I always love Bella? _

_I knew the answer before I could even finish the question. "Yes, Bella," I answered. I leaned down and pressed my lips against hers. Her breath washed over me. _

_Bella. She would be mine forever._

The realization hit me hard. I was ready to let go of Alice. I was ready to love Bella and give everything I had to her. And she would be a vampire one day.

All I had to do was get her back.

oOo

I walked into my study, overhearing the idea Carlisle offered.

"Why don't we just talk to the wolves? Maybe they'd be willing to give her back, under the circumstances."

"Not likely." I interrupted. "The wolves hate us. Despite the fact that Bella is my mate, the alpha would be unwillingly. I took something from him that I could never give back."

I didn't have to tell them what that was. It was obvious that I killed the alpha's mate. If he learns that he has mine, there will be no way in hell I'll be getting her back.

"What about the spies?" Wyatt asked. "Can't we use them to talk to Bella and bring her out?"

They looked at me for an answer. "She won't believe them. Bella is very stubborn."

"Jasper, this mission is nearly impossible." Peter said. "You keep shooting down our idea. What do you expect us to do? Ambush them? That will be suicide for both sides and Bella might get hurt."

I turned my head to Bryce. "Is there any way you can get a message to Bella through your spies?"

"Certainly,"

I nodded my head. "Alright than. For now, I will get Bella to help us get her out. We will communicate with her via the spies."

"This is a dangerous idea, Jasper." Carlisle said. "If Bella gets caught, they might kill her."

"Then Wyatt and Bryce better be dead sure their spies don't get caught."

They swallowed and nodded.

Peter shook his head. "This is wrong on so many levels." He muttered.

As the others scattered across the room, I knew I needed to change. I stood and walked to the door.

"Where are you going?" Emmett asked from an armchair.

"Hunting,"

I knew Carlisle and Peter would immediately grasp what that meant. "You're changing back to the vegetarian diet?" Carlisle asked in astonishment.

I nodded.

"Sweet! Can I come with you?" Emmett begged. "It's been so long since I've had a good hunt."

"If you want," I wasn't opposed to hunting with Emmett. It reminded me of before, when I lived with the Cullens, before Alice died. Emmett's emotional climate was a relaxing one. Nothing ever bothered him.

We left the house and ran into the woods. Since it's been a while since I hunted animals, I was a little rusty. But I had to do this. For Bella. I couldn't feed from humans any more without thinking about Bella and whenever I get her back, I have every intention of turning her into a vampire.

I could hear Emmett in the distance, playing with a bear. I chuckled. Some things never change with Emmett. He will always be known as the giant goof everyone knows and loves.

My senses took over and I followed a mountain lion, pouncing and snapping its neck before it realized what happened. I nearly spat the blood out when I realized just how disgusting it tasted.

The thought: _you're doing this for Bella_ became a mantra and I swallowed the warm blood as it slowly started to ease the burn.

After the mountain lion, was a couple of deer and a fox. Sated enough that I didn't feel the burn, I scaled a tree and waited for Emmett to finish.

Emmett came looking for me after a while, blood on his already shredded shirt. I snickered at him. "Nice Em."

He shrugged. "So? How was your first vegetarian hunt?"

"Much like the first one." I answered.

He chuckled. "At least this time you didn't go looking for a human."

My lips twitched but I didn't respond.

"What changed your mind?" He asked. "Why did you decide to go back to the vegetarian lifestyle?"

"It's for Bella." I answered.

"I'm glad your back, Jazz. It's been too long."

I was startled by that. Have I really changed that much? I know I didn't revert back to the ass I was with Maria but I wasn't exactly pleasant after I left the Cullens. I guess I had.

"I'm glad to be back." I admitted.

Emmett smiled widely and I sighed, staring up at the cloudy sky.

**BPOV**

"This doesn't look right."

Sue came over to me and peered into the pot. "Have you tried it?"

"Uh, no. And I don't think I want to."

She chuckled. "Come on, Bella. How will you ever know how things are if you don't try them?"

"That's easy for you to say. The things you make are so much better than mine. I'm better at hunting than I am at cooking."

Cooking. Sue insisted I learn how to cook, no matter how much I argued. She said I would need to provide for my family, should I ever get married. And I suppose cooking is a part of that.

But no one ever said I was the greatest cook in the world.

The only family I would ever want would be with Jasper. But I guess if I ever did end up going back to Jasper, this would be helpful for Adrian.

"Yes well, now you'll be good at both."

"I doubt it."

"Cooking takes practice. And patience."

"I'm not exactly the most patient person in the world, Sue."

"Hunting takes patience."

Damn. I forgot about that. Sue was smiling smugly when she caught me in the lie. I pouted. "I don't wanna do this anymore."

Sue rolled her eyes. "You are behaving like a child, Isabella."

"It's probably because I didn't have much of a childhood." I grumbled. "Can I _please_ go outside? It's hot in here."

She waved me away. "Go on, Bella. I can fix whatever this is."

I beamed and kissed her cheek. "Thanks, Sue." I left before she could change her mind.

I walked through the village. By now, I was used to seeing everyone and they were used to me. They finally stopped staring when I came out.

I spotted Jacob lying on his back in the grass with Leah's son, Jack sitting on his chest. They were both staring up at the sky.

"Hi, Jacob."

"I see Sue let you out."

I nodded. "It was torture." I smiled when Jack peered at me with his dark eyes. "Are you Jack's father?" I asked, noticing the similarities between them.

"Yep. My little pup."

I chuckled. "Somehow, I can't see anyone married to Leah. She's so cold."

"She isn't that bad." Jacob said seriously. "She's been burned pretty badly in the past. Sam broke her heart when he imprinted on Emily."

"Imprinted?" I asked curiously. I was learning all these new words since I got here.

"Yeah, it means that a wolf has found its soul mate. That was the catalyst that caused Leah's change."

"Sam told me that the wolf gene was only passed down from father to son. How come Leah is different?" I asked.

"Leah and I are the same in a way. The wolf gene is on both our parents' side. It was inevitable either way."

"Does that mean Jack will have this same outcome since both his parents are werewolves?"

"Unfortunately,"

"You make it sound like a bad thing."

"I wouldn't wish this life on my son." Jacob said sadly. "He deserves to have so much more than this."

"I'm sorry." I mumbled.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Bella. You haven't done anything. This is the fate that we were given."

"You believe in fate?" I questioned.

He nodded. "I believe we all have a destiny that is bestowed on us at birth. Sometimes it doesn't seem like it but it is rewarding in the end."

"Is it rewarding for you?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"Well, if I weren't a werewolf, I would have probably ended up with the same fate as all those poor, innocent men in the tunnels. They are all killed, without the slightest chance of survival. This way, at least I get to walk around in public; I don't have to worry about my son getting hurt. I have a family. Besides, I get to help others and get them away from the vampires. That's the most rewarding part. Seeing them happy and not afraid to go out without being seen and capture by the bloodsuckers."

I could understand that. "You're lucky to have a family."

"You can have one too, Bella. You aren't destined to be alone."

"No, I think I am." I couldn't exactly tell them that I was mated to a vampire. They would probably kill me before they ever let me go back to Jasper.

I jumped in surprise when I felt something small and warm crawl into my lap. I looked down and realized Jack was sitting there, staring up at me.

"Hi."

He stood up, using my shoulders for support and put his little hand on my cheek. His face was close to mine.

I wrapped my arms loosely around him.

"He must like you."

"You sound surprised."

"I am! Jack is like Leah in some ways. He doesn't really take well to other people."

I tried not to laugh and wound up snorting instead. "Somehow, that doesn't really surprise me."

Seeing Jack like this, it reminded me of Adrian and a stab of longing went through me. I missed my little baby.

"He really is adorable, Jacob."

"Thanks, Bella."

We sat in silence while I played with Jack's fingers.

"Is there something going on between you and Sam?" He asked after a while.

"No." I said, puzzled. "Why would you ask?"

"You two have been getting strangely close lately."

Oh. "Sam and I are just friends. We're helping each other in a way."

"Has he told you about Emily?"

I nodded.

"And?"

"And?" I repeated. "All he told me was that Jasper killed her."

"That's it?"

"Yes, Jacob. Sam and I can talk about things."

"What sort of things?"

"My parents," I admitted. "Adrian. Jasper. I'm not ready to love and I don't think Sam is either." I said. "We are just happy being friends."

"What about in the future? Do you think there is a possibility of that?"

My only future involves Jasper. "I don't think so. Sam and I are better off as friends."

"Did you fall in love with one of the bloodsuckers?"

I'm pretty sure I looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "No."

"That doesn't sound very convincing." Jacob growled. He took Jack from my arms and left.

I knew at that minute that I was going to be in a lot of trouble. I sighed and rested my head against my knees. I wanted Jasper.

**A/N: That's all folks. I hope you liked the chapter :) **

**I love reviews. They help me write. And some are actually very helpful. If you've got ideas, let me know and I'll give a shout out. **

***Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.***

**Review Please. **


	18. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

Chapter 17

**Sam POV**

Jacob came stomping into my house, holding Jack a little too tightly.

"What's wrong Jake?" I asked.

"Bella," He hissed.

"What about Bella?"

"She's in love with a bloodsucker."

I tried to focus on what he said. Bella was in love with a vampire? "Are you sure?"

"I asked her straight out and she said no. But the look on her face said otherwise. Sam, I'm telling you, there is something fishy about her."

"You didn't seem to think that when she first came here."

"Yeah, well. Things are different. I think she may be a spy. I think the vampires knew we were going to try and take her away and they used her to get to us."

"I don't think the vampires would do something like that, Jake."

"You can't know that!" He argued.

"I've talked to Bella. She doesn't seem like the type of woman to do that sort of thing."

"Yes, well. You haven't exactly been in the right state of mind since Emily died."

I was getting angry. "What the hell does that mean?"

"You're supposed to be the Alpha, Sam and yet you certainly don't act like one. You've been off the mat. You aren't making rational decisions."

I couldn't understand how we went from talking about Bella being a traitor to me being a half-assed leader.

"I suppose you think you can do better?"

"I know I can."

"Is that a challenge?"

"What challenge? If I went to the elders and told them what was going on, they would get rid of you and name me Alpha. After all, I am the rightful Alpha."

"Why are you doing this, Jacob? Is this because of Bella?"

"Bella was the last straw. You can't see the evidence."

"What evidence?" I demanded. "You don't know if Bella is in love with a vampire."

"It doesn't take a genius to figure it out. I saw the look on her face when I asked her. She has been hiding that from everyone."

"Even if she is in love with a vampire, it doesn't mean she's a spy."

"What is wrong with you? You're acting like you're under her spell." Jacob growled. "I'm going to talk to the elders. You clearly aren't right in the head to lead the pack."

I followed after him, needing to speak for myself. The elders can't just listen to Jacob's reasoning.

The elders were just a group of old men that sat around bonfires and told stories about our pasts. It doesn't mean they should be the one to dictate who runs the pack or not.

"Dad!" Jacob called. "I need to talk to you and the other elders."

"Is there a problem, Jacob?" Billy asked.

"Yes."

"Alright," the elders filed into the room and took their positions at their chairs. "You may speak, Jacob."

"I have issues with Sam being the Alpha of the Pack."

"Why?" Old Quill asked.

"Sam hasn't been in the right state of mind since Emily died. His opinion on matters is affecting the Pack."

The old geezers murmured on Jacob's accusations. "In what ways?" Billy asked. "We can't just get rid of Sam because of this."

"It's Bella. Sam refuses to believe that Bella might be a spy for the vampires. I was talking to her and found that she has fallen in love with one of the vampires."

"Did she say which vampire?"

"Who cares?" Jacob snapped. "Forgive me for being calloused but any human who is in good graces with a vampire is no good for anybody. She could be sending out messages to the leeches."

"What reason would she have?" Old Quill asked.

"We all know that the vampires are trying to shut us down. Bella could be offering our secrets."

"What have you to say about this Sam?"

"I don't believe him. Even if Bella is in love with a vampire, we don't know that she is acting as a spy. She has been very open on the matter. Besides, Bella has spent time with me or Sue or even Seth. It's not as if she's been asking for secrets."

"She's using Sam's kindness as way of gaining secrets. As soon as they're comfortable around each other, Bella can easily sway him into telling her."

"Bella isn't like that!" I snapped at Jacob.

"We must put this to a vote, I see." Billy sighed. "Boys, wait outside while we take a vote."

Grudgingly, Jacob and I left. We stayed as far away from each other as we could, both us unable to stand the other.

"You're behaving like a child, Jacob. Bella would never do anything like this." I said.

"It looks like Bella's got you under her spell." He replied venomously.

"When did you become such a cold hearted bastard?" I hissed.

"I am trying to keep my family and my people safe from the leeches. You are the one that wants to embrace to leech lover."

"Don't call her that."

"See? You don't want to admit that Bella is different because she reminds you of Emily. Is that what you want? To slowly make Bella fall in love with you? To replace Emily? Bella is never going to love you, Sam. She loves one of the bloodsuckers."

"I am not trying to replace Emily. You know that, Jacob. Bella is simply a friend. She understands my pain because the same has happened to her."

"She is filling you with lies. Everything she has told you are lies to make her seem innocent."

"What reasons would she have to lie?"

"Jacob? Sam, you can come inside now." Old Quill said.

I followed Jacob back inside. I was nervous about how this would go. I knew the elders had seen the difference in me. Now, with Jacob's admissions about Bella, I feared they were going to vote against me and make Jacob the Alpha.

"Boys, we have talked about this and we seem to think that Jacob is right." My heart sank. "There is something strange about Bella." Old Quill continued. "Whether she is a spy or not, we must find a way of determining that. She could be a very dangerous enemy to the people in this community."

"What does that mean?" Jacob asked in relief.

"It means we, as Elders, are revoking Samuel Uley as alpha and replacing Jacob Black as Alpha."

Jacob grinned widely, pleased with his accomplishment. I wanted to punch him in the face for this.

"Sam, you are forbidden from seeing Bella again until we get to the bottom of this issue. If we hear that you've spoken to her, you will be punished."

"You can't do that." I argued.

"Yes, we can, Sam." Billy said. "For the sake of our tribe, you must obey all rules. This is one of them."

I growled and left without another word. There was no way in hell they were going to get away with this. Bella was innocent.

**BPOV **

I walked back to Sue's house in a daze. I couldn't understand what happened.

Jacob accused me of being in love with a vampire. I was stupid in denying it because that would have made me seem like I was here for a different reason.

It's not like I wanted to be taken from the Manor. _They_ took me. _They_ brought me here. I was happy at the manor, despite what happened that previous morning.

Jasper barely spoke to me anyway. The only things he ever said was things that hurt me.

Jacob was waiting for me at Sue's house. I blinked at him. His pose reminded me of Jasper when he found Michael trying to rape me. I was clearly in some trouble.

"What's going on?"

"You are being taken from this house and watched." Sue said sadly. "They believe you're a spy for Jasper."

"What?"

I couldn't believe my ears.

"That's enough Sue." The man standing beside Jacob said. "You don't want to give anything else anyway."

"I don't understand." I stared at them. "I haven't done anything wrong."

"That is for us to decide." Jacob grabbed my arm painfully.

I looked back at Sue, wincing as Jacob's nails dug into my arm. "What's going to happen to me?" I squeaked.

"We don't have to tell you anything." Jacob said.

I stumbled behind him as he dragged me away. Tears were falling down my face as I realized that whatever was going to happen would undoubtedly be painful.

I couldn't see where Jacob was taking me coz I couldn't keep my eyes open. Before I knew what happened, I was thrown roughly to the ground. I tentatively opened my eyes. It looked like a basement.

"Where's Sam?" I asked. "I want to see him."

"No can do, Isabella." Jacob sneered. "Sam has been forbidden from seeing you. He is no longer Alpha."

I recoiled. It was my fault that this happened. "You can't do this to me. It's inhumane. Besides, I haven't done anything wrong."

"That is for us to decide."

"What do you plan on doing to me?" I demanded, pissed off at them. "I won't tell you anything, if that's what you're after. I have nothing _to_ tell."

"Everyone has secrets." Jacob said. "And I will get it out of you soon enough."

He left, closing the door to the cage. It was pitch black. I couldn't see anything. Usually, it wouldn't have been an issue. But I have spent more and more time out in the light that the darkness made me uneasy. Even in the tunnels it wasn't this dark.

I felt around the small cage. There wasn't much here. Did they expect me to sleep on the floor?

I sank to the ground, tears falling down my face. I was angry. How dare they do this to me? I've done nothing wrong. Those bastards.

I cried myself to sleep, wanting... no _needing_, to escape this nightmare.

_I knew I was dreaming. But I would gladly take it. I was back at the manor, lying on the ground and staring up at the beautiful night sky. I could see the stars and the full moon. _

_Something small and warm was curled against my side. I looked down. _

_Adrian. I pulled him onto my chest and held him close. _

_Light burst across the night sky. I gasped in surprise. It was so beautiful, the colours. It was like fire in the sky. _

"_They're fireworks." A gentle voice said. I sat up, holding Adrian against me. It was only Jasper. I smiled at him._

"_They're beautiful." I said. _

_I felt Jasper sit down behind me, his legs on either side of me. I leaned back against him. He smelled so wonderful. "They have nothing on you." He said. _

_I blushed but I didn't feel the warmth. I looked at Jasper in confusion. He smiled and held out his hand. I stared at him. "Take my hand." He said. _

_I took it and was surprised to find it was the same temperature as mine. "Does that mean...?" _

_He nodded. "You're a vampire, Bella." He whispered. _

"_But... how?" _

"_Don't ask questions." He said. "Just watch."_

_Jasper and I watch the fireworks in silence. Every once in a while, he brushed his lips against my skin. I shuddered in anticipation. _

"_I love you." He whispered. _

"_I love you, more." _

_He chuckled. "That's not possible." _

"_How could you ever love me?" I asked, twisting around to look at him. I was surprised to find that his eyes were gold. I reached up and ran my fingertips under his eyes. "Your eyes, they're gold." _

_He smiled. _

_I sighed happily and leaned back, forgetting my question. That stuff can wait till later. I just wanted to enjoy my time with Jasper while I could. _

"_I'll get you back, Bella." I looked behind me again. _

"_What?" _

"_I'll get you back." _

_He was gone__. And so was Adrian. "Jasper? Adrian?" I called. _

"_You'll be safe." _

"_Jasper?" _

"_You're always in my heart." _

"_JASPER!" _

I woke with a gasp. My heart pounded painfully against my ribs.

"Good. You're awake." I looked in the direction.

"What do you want?" I snapped.

"Answer, darling." The voice drawled lazily.

"I don't know anything."

"You don't expect me to believe that, do you?" I squinted in the dark to figure out who I was speaking to. I soon recognized Paul. He was one of the more vicarious of the wolves.

"Yes. I've had no reason to lie to you before. Why would I be doing it now?"

"I think you've been lying to us this whole time."

"Of course you do." I growled. "Why are you wolves all suspicious?"

"I don't have to tell you anything, leech lover."

"Just as I don't have to tell you anything," I smiled.

"See, that's where you're wrong. If you refuse to answer, you will simply be punished. And I can guarantee the punishments will be painful."

"Do you really believe I'm afraid of that? My whole life has been one painful punishment after another. Bring whatever you want."

I didn't care anymore. I was simply numb. They could kill me for all they're worth.

"You're really going to wish you hadn't said that."

"We'll see."

"We will indeed."

**A/N: Well that's all for today. I've finished exams so I felt like updating. I hope you liked the chapter. Some important questions were answered, though more were probably raised. No worries. Answers will be coming soon. **

***Ducks behind chair* I know you're anxious for Bella and Jasper to get back to together and they will very soon. Two chapters at most. Promise**

**Now Review Please. Like? Dislike? Want to throw tomatoes at me? Anything? **


	19. Chapter 18

**A/N: Next chapter.**** 800 reviews! You all rock. **

**Okay, so I know a lot of you hated the last chapter and I thought I'd clear a few things up: **

**The choice the elders made about ****Jacob being Alpha was because they saw the difference in Sam. They believed Sam couldn't handle the pressure of the responsibility because he's only there is body. Even though Jacob has his suspicions, the old geezers think Jacob is better at handling the issue as well as the tribe and their people.**

**Enjoy.**

Chapter 18

**JPOV**

An uneasy feeling washed over me and stayed with me well into the evening.

I couldn't understand why I was feeling so anxious as I waited for news from the spies. Fear and hesitation hit me hard as someone knocked on the door. "Enter."

Wyatt and Bryce came inside, glancing nervously at each other.

"Did you hear back from your spies?" I asked, cutting right to the chase. I wasn't in the mood for petty small talk.

Peter was sitting at my desk, looking over a map of the land surrounding the werewolves' community. He was searching for any possible point of entry. He glanced up, eyed the two vampires, before turning back to the map.

"Well?" I growled.

"Apparently Bella is being um…" Bryce coughed. "Held under the suspicion,"

"For what reason?"

"They believe she is the spy."

Peter looked up, incredulously. "They believe _Bella_ is the spy?"

"What else?" My jaw clenched at the possibility.

"Well, there is a new pack Alpha."

"Why?" Peter asked suspiciously. "The only reason there would ever be a new Alpha is if the old one died."

"Apparently the elders voted against him. They believed he was unable to handle the responsibilities of being leader since his mate died."

I flinched. It was my fault that Sam's mate died. And now mine could end up with the same fate. "How is Bella?" I asked.

"She's been taken into their makeshift prison. They're looking for answers. If they don't get the right answers, they're going to punish her."

"Punish her how?" I growled.

"Depends on what they think will work."

That was not what I wanted to hear. I needed to get Bella out of that prison before something happened to her and I lost her.

The idea of losing Bella was painful.

"We must get her out of there. Immediately."

"How are you planning on doing that?" Peter asked. "I've gone over everything. There is no way of entry without detection from the wolves. They will know we are near the second we come anywhere close to the wall."

"How guarded is the wall itself?" I asked, strategizing.

"Extremely," Wyatt answered. "They have guards posted at every corner of the wall, plus they have the technology to detect vampires when they come close."

"Is there any way to turn off the detection device?"

Bryce shook his head. "It would have to be an inside job and only the wolves can get rid of it." He said before I could ask.

This was really beginning to get on my nerves. "So you're telling me that there is no way of getting Bella out of there?"

They all looked at each other. I understood what that meant.

No.

oOo

"Jasper, there's someone here to see you."

I glanced over at Charlotte. I nodded my head and stood up, carrying Adrian carefully in my arms.

"Do you want me to take him?"

"No." I needed to have him close. I needed to be close to the closest person I had to Bella. "Where are they?"

"Waiting outside. He didn't want to come inside."

I nodded and went outside, staring down at Adrian. He had his head resting on my chest and was sucking his thumb. I wouldn't admit this out loud but it was actually I pretty cute picture.

A strange smell hit me and my nose flared. I recognized the smell.

I hurried my steps until I came face to face with the man I never expected to see on my doorstep.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

**BPOV **

I don't remember how long I've been stuck in this hole since Paul came. It could have been hours, days, weeks.

Well, probably not weeks but it sure as hell felt like it.

I was lounging on the ground, staring up into the darkness with my hands behind my head when I heard the sound of a door opening. I was going to have some company and I knew it wouldn't be pretty.

Goodie.

Jacob came down the stairs with Paul right behind him. He was carrying a torch, the only light.

"Welcome to hell, boys." I said.

"This isn't hell, honey." Paul sneered. "But when we're done with you, you wish you were in hell."

"That's enough Paul." Jacob barked. He stared at me with his piercing black eyes. I think he was trying to make me scared. After spending all this time in a black hole, I could have cared less what happened. "Are you ready to answer some questions Bella?"

I thought about it. "No."

He hissed. "We're not going to go easy on you, Isabella. I don't care what Sam thinks of you. You are a spy and we are going to get those answers out of you one way or another."

"Keep telling yourself that, big boy."

"Paul, get the whip." Jacob ordered. "It looks like we're going to have to teach Bella her lesson."

I sat up slowly, all the while keeping a close eye of Jacob.

"Why are you such a jackass?" I asked bluntly.

"I am trying to protect my family and my people." He replied in a cold voice.

"And hurting women is something you think will protect your people?" I asked. "You're wasting your time on me. Believe it or not, I really have no idea about the spy."

"You're just full of lies, aren't you little girl?"

I hissed. "I am not a little girl."

"Really?"

I ignored his condescending tone. "Tell me something, Jacob. If I were this spy you keep insisting that I am, how have I been able to smuggle messages outside?" I asked.

His eyes narrowed so I continued.

"Ever since I arrived here, I have been with someone, whether it be Sue or Sam or even Seth."

"That doesn't prove anything."

I rolled my eyes and lay back again. "Of course not,"

"You went easily enough when I took you from the bloodsucker's house."

"That's because I was afraid and weak, you idiot." I snapped. "Jasper had just fed from me less than an hour earlier. And if you don't believe me, ask Sue! She saw the fucking marks on my neck."

That stumped him momentarily until anger flashed through his eyes once again.

"You're a liar."

I groaned and ignored him. "God you're a prick."

Paul had come back and silently handed him the whip. "Turn around, Isabella. It's time for your punishment."

I eyed the whip warily. I had a bad feeling about this.

"Do what he says." Paul snapped.

When I didn't move, Paul painfully flipped me over and I heard a loud crack on leather against skin before I felt the pain.

**Jacob POV **

Insolent little girl. Why must she make thing so much harder than they have to be?

She didn't scream at the first crack of the whip against her back. "It's only going to get worse Isabella." I warned. "You need to tell me what I want to know."

"Bite me." She said with clenched teeth.

"No thanks." I whipped her back again. It wasn't hard but I could already see the line of blood seeping through her shirt. "Now, Isabella. Are you a spy for the vampires?"

"No." she hissed.

I sighed and whipped her again, a little harder this time. She screamed. I smiled. Finally, we were getting somewhere.

"Who is the vampire you love?"

"Go to hell."

I whipped her again and again when she wouldn't give me the answers I wanted. Each lash made her scream with agony. I couldn't help but smile. "This can all end Bella. Just answer my questions and it could all end."

She hissed and collapsed on the floor, unable to keep herself up. She was crying but I could have cared less.

I sighed out in annoyance. "Take the whip back, Paul." I said. "We will finish this later."

I stared down at Bella. Her back was bleeding profusely, soaking through her shirt. I crouched down and pushed her hair out of her face. She stared back defiantly, her eyes glassy from the tears.

"Remember what I said, Isabella. This can all end whenever you're ready to talk."

I left her on the ground and headed out. I headed in the direction of Sue's house. I knew Leah was there with Jack. I needed to see my family.

When I walked into Sue's house, I could feel the hostility. "What's wrong?" I asked immediately, looking from Leah and Sue.

"Mom thinks what you're doing to Bella is cruel." Leah said. "She doesn't believe that Bella is a spy."

I turned to Sue. "Why are you so easily swayed on this?" I asked. "Has she brainwashed you into believing her?"

"Of course not," Sue said. "Bella has spent a long time with me. She would have no reason to lie. She is just an innocent girl."

"She isn't as innocent as you may think."

"What happened?" Leah asked.

"The way she was behaving, that is not someone who is afraid."

"What did you do, Jacob?"

"I punished her for her disobedience."

"Punished her how?"

"Whippings,"

"And you just left her there?" Sue asked horrified. "Jacob, those wounds can get infected."

"It's her fault if something happens." I said. "She is putting herself through this."

"When did you become so crass?" Sue demanded. "You are not the same man I knew."

"People change, Sue. You know that."

She shook her head. "What would your mother think of you now?"

That hit a little close to home. "Come on, Leah. Let's get home."

**Sam POV **

"Sam!" I turned at the sound of panic. Sue was running towards me, her eyes full of fury and panic.

"Sue? What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"Not me." She breathed. "It's Bella."

"What about Bella?"

"Jacob's been whipping her. She's been left in the cage bleeding. Those can get infected." She said. "Sam, I worried about her."

"Is there anyone watching it?"

"Seth."

I breathed a small sigh of relief. "If I can get you in, do you think you can tend to her back?" I asked.

She nodded. "Come on." I led her to the house and saw Seth sitting on the grass, looking bored. "Hi, Seth."

"Mom! Sam? What are you two doing here?"

"Sue needs to see Bella. Do you think you can let her in?" I asked.

He chewed his lip, unsure. "Seth, you really don't think Bella is a spy, do you? She's been nothing but kind to you." Sue admonished. "I need to tend to her back."

"What happened to her back?" Seth asked.

"She's been whipped." I said. "Didn't Jacob tell you?"

"No." He looked angry. "Jacob just said I had to watch in case she tried to escape."

I snorted. "That idiot. I doubt she'd be able to walk."

"Seth, I need to get in to see her." Sue said. "Please."

He nodded. "Go on in." He said. "There's a torch at the top of the stairs."

"Thank you." Sue kissed his forehead.

"I need to get in there." I said. "Do you think you can keep Jacob out?"

"Sure, man."

I nodded gratefully at him and went inside. The smell of blood was thick. I growled. How dare Jacob do this to Bella? She was innocent. Sue was grumbling under her breath and Bella moaned out in pain.

I stood staring at the lashes on her back. She was completely covered. My hands began to tremble. "Bella?" She cringed at the sound of my voice. I glanced at Sue. She was frowning. "Bella, it's Sam."

"Sam?" She whispered in a weak and agonized voice.

"That's right, Bella." I stroked her hair away from her eyes. She looked at me and I've never seen so much agony before.

"What are you doing here? Jacob told me you weren't allowed to see me."

"Well, what Jacob doesn't know won't kill him." I growled.

Bella clamped her hand down on mine and hissed when Sue started wiping antiseptic across her back. "Bella, I need you to talk to me."

She looked up from beneath her lashes. Her cheeks were stained with dry tears and her eyes were glassy from tears she wouldn't spill.

"About what?"

"Are you a spy for the vampires?"

"No." she whispered. "Everything I told you was the truth."

I nodded. "Are you in love with a vampire?"

She hesitated before nodding her head once.

"Who is it, Bella?" I asked. "Who is the vampire you're in love with?"

She bit her lip. "You're going to hate me when I tell you."

"I guarantee I won't hate you, Bella."

"It's Jasper."

I stiffened. "Jasper?" I hissed.

She avoided my gaze. "It doesn't matter anyway." She mumbled. "It's not like he loves me anyway." She said something else I wasn't supposed to hear. "He probably doesn't even care that I'm gone."

Sue and I exchanged glances. "Bella, you can't tell Jacob this." Sue said. "He's going to kill you when he realizes the truth."

"I don't care anymore." she whispered.

"You can't mean that." Sue argued.

"I do."

Standing up, I knew what I needed to do.

"Keep an eye on her, Sue."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to fix this."

oOo

Finding my way to the bloodsucker's house was easy. Leaving the confines of the wall… not so much. I was betraying my people for a human girl.

But Bella was important to me. She was the only person who could understand what I was in. I may have hated the bastard she was in love with but I knew what it was like to be away from the one you love. Bella was taken from him just as Emily was taken from me. She was feeling everything I was feeling. We connected in a way that no one else could understand.

But Bella- Bella was stronger than anyone else I've ever known. She lives on day after day; knowing that her love is out there and yet still gets up every day, she laughs and smiles. I could never be as strong as Bella.

Would he even want to see me?

There was only one way to find out.

Knocking on the door, I waited. The sickly sweet smell of vampire alerted me to a presence and the door opened. The vampire's nose flared. "Can I help you?"

"Yes. I need to see your master." I could see the suspicion in her eyes. "It's important. Trust me; he'll want to hear this."

She glared at me for a moment. "Wait here. I'll go get him."

I was happy that she didn't invite me in. The smell would have been sensory overload.

My ears perked at the sound of footsteps. I straightened up and looked into the eyes of Jasper Whitlock.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Hello, Jasper." I greeted.

"You have some nerve showing up here. I should rip you apart right here for what you took from me." He growled.

I stared at the baby he was holding. He must have been Adrian. Bella's told me enough about him. Jasper held him tighter against him.

"What are you doing here?" He demanded.

"I've come here to talk to you."

"About?"

"Bella."

He eyed me cautiously before breathing out in frustration. "Come in."

oOo

Jasper led me to his study. I sat in the leather chair, staring across at Jasper, Peter and Carlisle.

"What's happened to Bella?" Carlisle asked.

"She's been forced into whippings for refusing to give up any answers." I answered.

Jasper growled.

"Have her wounds been tended to?" Carlisle asked.

I nodded. "I've come here to help you get her back."

Shock was written across all their faces. "Why would you want to do that?" Peter asked.

"Because Bella will undoubtedly die if she remains there."

"Why is she being so poorly treated? I thought the wolves were supposed to protect humans, not harm them." Carlisle said.

"We are." I conceded. "But the others don't exactly take kindly to humans who are seeping secrets to you vampires."

"Why would they think Bella is one of the spies?" Jasper barked.

"It was a suspicion of the new Alpha." I said bitterly. Stupid fuck. This is all his fault.

"I thought you hated me. Why would you want to help me get my mate back when I killed yours?" Jasper demanded.

I was startled to hear him say that. Bella mentioned that Jasper hated her. I filed that for later. "I still hate you." I promised. "You're a bastard but I know Bella and I'm doing this for her, not you."

Jasper growled, projecting his jealousy.

I ignored it. "Bella loves you more than anything. She is literally hurting because of it. She is keeping her feelings for you away from the others because once they know who she loves, they will kill her. I know how it feels to be separated from the one you love." I stared him straight in the eye.

"How do you expect to help us?" Peter asked. "We can't even get in there without being caught."

"You just need to leave that stuff to me." I said. "I can turn off the detectors from the inside. I will cause a distraction near the eastern wall and that will give you time to get in and get out."

"Won't the wolves know it was inside job?" Carlisle asked.

"Of course. That's why I plan on leaving the community."

They stared at me in shock.

"Why would you do that?" Peter asked.

"No one wants me there." I answered. "It's better for everyone if I just leave."

They stared at me in silence.

"Do you want Bella back or not?"

"Of course we do." Jasper hissed.

"All right, then." I sighed and leaned back. "This is going to take a lot of planning on both our parts."

"We can have Jace and Eli help get Bella out." Peter muttered.

I straightened. "Do you actually have spies in the community?" I asked.

Peter nodded his head. "Who?"

"Their alias is Sebastian and Topher."

"Should have known." I grumbled. "Those two are always snooping around."

"Enough of this." Jasper said. 'We need to get down to business if we're going to get Bella out soon."

I couldn't have agreed more.

**A/N: New twist. I hope you like it. There will certainly be some fireworks. Jasper and Bella reunite in the next chapter. :) Yay. **

**Review please. **


	20. Chapter 19

**A/N: Yeah, new chapter :) Hope I've done you justice.**

**Enjoy. **

**I own nada. **

Chapter 19

**JPOV**

The idea of getting Bella back was thrilling. I couldn't wait to see her, hold her, kiss her. I was going to kill those mutts that hurt my Bella.

"You should hunt before you see Bella again." Carlisle suggested the night before the plan was going to go down.

I nodded in agreement and headed out towards the hunt. Since my diet had changed back to the vegetarian lifestyle, my eyes had officially changed gold. I briefly wondered what Bella would say when she sees me. I fed from any animal I could find, gorging myself to the point that I could feel the blood sloshing uncomfortably in my stomach.

Sam had gone back to the community after we worked out the details. This was going to take a lot of patience, and if done right, without any casualties. That wasn't what I wanted but my main concern was getting Bella out of that hell hole.

"Are you ready for this?" Peter asked when I returned home.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I answered. "I just want Bella back. There is no way in hell I'm letting her go once she's safe in my arms again."

He nodded. "I doubt any of us will be willing to give her up again."

"Stupid mutts. They should have known not to take anything from me." I growled.

"Well, they'll know soon enough." Peter said.

"Is Carlisle coming with us?" I asked as we walked to the study.

"Yes. He's going in case Bella gets caught in the cross fire or if she has any extensive injuries that he needs to take care of."

I growled. I should have kept a better eye on Bella. I knew those mutts would want to take away any human I brought into the house.

"Do Jace and Eli know what their job is tonight?" I asked.

Peter nodded. "They're ready."

"Let's get this over with then."

xXx

Sam told us where they wolves were holding Bella. She was being held in a house slightly more isolated from the rest of the village on the eastern side of the wall. Apparently a wolf named Jared was keeping watch. A flare would go up when it was safe to come within distance of the wall. The only part that we had to worry about was getting rid of the wolves. A simple drug, provided by Carlisle, would knock them out for a good couple of hours.

Because Edward was the fastest, he would be in charge of that.

It annoyed me quite a bit when Carlisle suggested bringing Edward into the plan. I didn't want him anywhere near me or Bella for that matter. I only agreed because I wanted to get Bella out as soon as possible.

"Glad to be of service." Edward said.

"Fuck you." I hissed, staring out into the darkness.

"Boys, that's enough." Carlisle interrupted. "We are not here so you two can fight with each other."

I turned back to the wall, waiting for the signal. It was almost midnight. The air was cool and I could hear the footfalls of the guards near the wall. I knew without a doubt that they would see the flare. I didn't quite agree with the use of a flare but Sam insisted that it would catch the guards' attention, thus giving us the opportunity to sneak up on them.

"Where's the sedative for Jared?" I asked.

"I have it, Jasper."

I looked around at him. "Will you be coming with me?"

Carlisle nodded. "It's the only way to make sure you don't actually kill the wolf."

I growled at him. The wolf deserved to die for what he did to my Bella. "What exactly will Jace and Eli be doing?" Edward asked.

"They're going to distract Jared so Carlisle can inject the sedative." Peter said. "I'll be watching from the wall in case someone catches on to what's going on."

"No one is going to catch on." Carlisle said with conviction. "If the plan goes as it should, nothing will happen."

"Let's hope you're right, Carlisle."

The flare went up.

"Let's go."

xXx

Carlisle and I stayed back, away from Edward while he did his part of the plan. I knew that it was better for him to go first so the guards wouldn't detect the three of us and alert the others.

"How will we know if Edward's done it?" Carlisle asked sceptically when I explained my reasoning.

"I'll know." I said. "I can still feel his emotions from here. He'll let me know when he's completed his part."

We waited for several minutes in a tense silent. I was beginning to get annoyed. This was taking too long. "Wait here. I'm going to see what's taking Edward so long."

"Is that really a good idea?" Carlisle asked.

"I'll send you a message when it's done." I told him. I headed in the direction that Edward had gone, following his scent. The closer I got to Bella, the more impatient I became.

When I caught sight of Edward, he looked up at me. _Are you finished?_

He nodded his head. "Just finished,"

I acknowledged his answer, turned and whistled loud enough for Carlisle to hear without alerting anyone in the community. "You're staying here while we get Bella?" I checked with Edward.

"Actually, I thought I'd go and help Sam out in case something went wrong."

I paused, thinking through what he said. Who knew what would happen to Sam if the others found him. At least with Edward there, they would have a chance of survival.

I nodded my head in approval. "Get Sam out then get back to the manor. No stopping unless you're caught. No killing. Just knock them out."

Edward tilted his head in agreement.

_Good luck. _

"Likewise," Edward ran in the around the wall, keeping out of sight. I knew he'd be able to get through without being caught. One thing to appreciate about being a vampire is the speed. If the wolves don't know you're there, they won't be expecting you, thus, they won't see you.

Carlisle came up behind me. "Let's get this done with."

Carlisle and I scaled the wall and jumped down, effectively making it through. Technically, we didn't really invade their territory. We simply climbed a wall.

"Which way?" Carlisle asked, glancing from left the right.

I looked around. Sam's layout of the community and the house Bella was in flashed through my mind. Currently, we were standing in a field of wheat grass. Past that, there was a trail. When the trail comes to an end, you could either go through the gate that led to the houses and the inner community or head past down the second dirt trail that led to their makeshift prison. According to Sam, they kept all one of their prisoners away from the rest of the humans because they didn't want any corruption, which I thought was quite ironic, considering what they were doing.

"I know where to go." I had thoroughly studied the map provided by Sam. It helped that vampires had photographic memory.

Carlisle followed behind me. I was tense and Carlisle's fear for Bella was beginning to get on my nerves. "She's going to be fine, Jasper."

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" I asked.

He didn't provide an answer. I got my answer.

"We should hurry up. We don't know how much time we've got until someone alerts Jacob." I said.

We made it to the second trail and ran until we caught the scent of the wolf. My nose flared. "Eli and Jace are close."

Carlisle nodded his head in agreement. I caught sight of them and sent them the signal. They were hit with a strong dose of anger and frustration. I watched as they came into view of the wolf and started wrestling each other.

"This is all your fault!"

"Is not,"

"Oh please. Like you could pull off something like that."

I rolled my eyes at their pitiful excuse of an argument but at least it caught Jared's attention. "What the hell do you think you're doing here?" He demanded. "This is a restricted area."

I sent them a dose of calm and they stood up, brushing the dirt from their clothes. I nodded to Carlisle, telling him he could go in. "Sorry, dude." Eli said.

"Yeah, we didn't mean any harm." Jace agreed.

Carlisle sneaked up behind Jared and plunged the syringe into his neck. I walked into view as Jared collapsed to the ground.

"How long will he sleep for?" I asked.

"Sunrise at the earliest,"

"You sure?" I was surprised. Sunrise wasn't that long away.

"Not completely." He admitted. "Sam told me that with the temperature they run, their bodies fight things off faster than a normal human."

I nodded and turned to Eli and Jace. "You did well." I praised. "But you need to get out of here. Jared's going to remember seeing you before he blacked out. They'll know you helped us. It's better for all of us if you leave."

"Peter's just outside the wall. Meet him there and tell him that everything has been successful so far." Carlisle added.

"Sure thing, boss," Eli said. "Let's go, loser." He shoved Jace in the direction we just came from.

"You ready for this, Jasper?" Carlisle asked.

I breathed in, preparing myself for what was about to happen. "I'm ready."

Stepping over Jared, I fought the urge to kick him in the stomach for all he did. The stupid fuck hurt my mate.

"Jasper!" Carlisle called me from inside the house.

I headed inside and my nose immediately flared. There was a mix of old and fresh blood mingling in the air. "It's Bella's blood." I would recognize her scent anywhere.

"You don't think…?"

"They'd better not." I followed the scent, leading me to a staircase. The scent got stronger the more I moved. The closer I got, the more I smelled the fresh blood.

When I reached the bottom, I nearly roared at the sight. Bella was lying in a heap on ground, deathly pale and blood seeping through her already red stained clothes.

Carlisle went to her immediately. I was frozen with fury, fighting everything that possessed me not to go to the wolf that did this and rip out his heart.

I swallowed back the venom and moved slowly to Bella and Carlisle. He was frantically trying to stop the bleeding. He'd ripped open the shirt and hissed at what he saw.

"What is it?" I demanded.

"She's been had two whippings. They hadn't even allowed the first ones to heal before they did it again."

My hands clenched. "Is she going to be okay?"

"If we get her out of here soon. She's lost a great amount of blood. If I don't get her back soon, she's going to die."

I heard a sound that I wouldn't have otherwise heard if I were human: a moan. "Bella?" I rushed to her, taking her from Carlisle.

She groaned and I could feel the agony and pain albeit weakly. "Bella? Darlin', I'm here."

"Jasper?" her voice was hoarse and she spoke so soft even _I_ could barely hear her. "You came for me." she was going to pass out at any minute. "I love you."

I stared down at her in astonishment. She loved me? Even after everything I put her through?

"Jasper," Carlisle's soft voice came from beside me. He put a hand on my shoulder. "Son, we need to get out of here."

I nodded my head in agreement, snapping out of the daze I was in. I needed to be strong for Bella. I could assess these new feelings later, when she was safe.

"Can you feel anything from her?" Carlisle asked.

"Weakly. I think she's trying to hold on." She was warm. Too warm. I wondered if the wounds were infected.

"She's got hypothermia." Carlisle muttered, mostly to himself. "They threw her onto a cold, stone ground, didn't give her anything to protect herself. They didn't even clean her wounds." He grumbled. "…infection…"

I growled and wrapped Bella in a blanket. It wouldn't keep her warm for long. She needed to get out of those wet clothes and warmed up immediately.

Thankfully Charlotte and Esme know to have a hot bath waiting for her when we get back.

We made it back to Peter in record time. He took one look at Bella and roared with fury. "We need to get out of here."

"Jasper, do you want me to take Bella?" Carlisle asked.

I growled at him, shaking my head violently.

He held his hands up in surrender. I needed to be close to her. I've spent too much time away from her and now she was in danger.

I prayed to whatever God would listen that Bella survive this nightmare.

**BPOV **

Pain. Cold.

I was aching.

Then I heard the most beautiful sound in the world.

"Bella? Darlin', I'm here."

I felt compelled to answer the beautiful angel.

"Jasper?" My voice was raspy and it hurt to talk any louder than a whisper. "You came for me." Darkness was quickly overcoming me. But there was one thing I needed him to know… "I love you."

Finally admitting it to him, I knew it was time for me to sleep.

_I was walking through the same meadow I remembered from the last time I was here. No one was around. It was so beautiful here, peaceful and quiet. And I was warm. I no longer felt the awful cold. The beautiful cherry tree seemed to beacon me over. I willingly went and sat beneath the tree, leaning against the trunk. I felt no pain, suggesting that my back had healed._

_Closing my eyes, I enjoyed the feel of the sun on my face. _

_I don't know how long I sat there before I heard footsteps. I opened my eyes and smiled at my mom. "Hi, Momma," _

_"Hello, baby girl." She came and sat down beside me, wrapping me in her arms. I sighed, relaxing against her. She smelled the same and I felt her love swirl around us. _

_"Am I dreaming, Momma?" _

_She didn't answer. When I looked at her, she was staring thoughtfully up at the sky. I turned to see what had caught her interest and was surprised to see that it was nightfall. _

_"Did you do that?" _

_She smiled and nodded. "I thought it would be more appropriate." She nodded to the full moon. "It's beautiful, don't you think, Bella?" _

_I nodded. _

_"Bella, at one point in our lives, we have to make a choice." Mom started. I stared at her blankly. "We can either choose the path that seems easy and the most comfortable, or take the path that will guarantee a bumpy road but will ultimately end to happiness." _

_"What does this have to do with anything?" I asked in confusion. _

_"Renee, you're confusing the poor girl." Dad came out and smiled at me. _

_Mom made a face at him as he sat down on my other side. "Bella, what your mother is trying to tell you is that you have a choice to make."_

_"What kind of choice?" I looked between both my parents. What is it with them and riddles? _

_"Relax, we're getting to it." Dad laughed. _

_Mom and Dad exchanged looks. "Bella, you are caught between life and death. The deciding factor is what you want." _

_"I don't understand." _

_Mom sighed and took my hand. "Baby girl, what your dad is trying to tell you is that you can either take the road you think is comfortable and safe, thus choosing death and staying with us, or take the road that will undoubtedly take a long time of recovery, choosing life and staying with Jasper." _

Jasper._ My heart clenched at the sound of his name. _

_"Each comes with a consequence though." Dad warned._

_"What kind of consequence?" _

_"If you decide death, you won't ever see Jasper again. He won't be able to save you. If you decide life, when you are ready, Jasper will make you a vampire and you won't ever see us again." Mom explained. _

_I panicked. "Never?" I gasped. "But… what about in my dreams?" _

_"Vampires don't sleep, baby girl." Dad said gently. _

_"You have to decide which is most important to you." Mom said. _

_Tears sprang from my eyes. "But how could I choose between my mate and my parents?" I whispered. _

_"Bella, you will always know that we love you. We will always be with you, even if you can't see us, or hear us." Dad said. "If you decide to choose death, you will be denying yourself the love you so desperately seek." _

_"How can you be okay with this?" I asked, sobbing. "I spent my entire life being taught how evil vampires are." _

_"You can't fight who you love, whether it be human, vampire or even werewolf." Mom said. _

_"I love you both." I whispered__._

_"Oh, Izzie. We love you too." Dad scooped me up into his arms and held me against his chest. "We will support you with whatever choice you choose." _

_We sat silently and watched a shoot star move across the sky. I rested my head on Dad's shoulder. _

_"Charlie, I think we should give Bella some time to think through her options." Renee said. _

_Dad removed me from his lap. "We'll talk to you when you decide." He leaned down and gently kissed my forehead. "I'm so proud of you, baby girl." _

_"Thanks, Dad." _

_When they left, I stared up at the sky. The stars were shinning and the moon was full and beautiful. I didn't know what to do. _

_Thinking through what my parents said, I considered each possibility. Either way, I was losing people I loved: Mom and Dad or Jasper and Adrian. Could I really give up either of them? Could I really choose? _

_Yes. I knew what I wanted. _

**JPOV **

"Why hasn't she woken up yet?" I demanded.

"Please, Jasper. Her mind has shut itself down. You need to be patient. She has been through quite the ordeal. Her brain time to heal before she can wake up," Carlisle said.

Sam was leaning against the wall across from the bed, worry etched in his face. He had a small scar on his arm, a result of fighting with Paul. Other than that, he came out relatively unscathed.

"We should leave and let her rest."

"I'm not going anywhere." I said.

"I didn't think you would." Carlisle said. "Come on, Sam. I'm sure Esme is cooking up something for you to eat."

They left the room and I curled up along Bella's body. She was lying on her stomach, to keep the pressure off her back. She was wrapped in thick electric blankets to keep her warm and my nose was still burning from the amount of antiseptic Carlisle used on Bella's back.

"Wake up, Bella." I whispered, kissing the side of her head. "I need you, darlin'. I need you more than I ever thought I'd need anyone." I sighed. "I was a complete ass to you. I don't deserve you but I'm far too selfish. I need you the way humans need air.

"You're my salvation, Bella. You brought me out of the darkness. You helped me see that I can move on and live the life I've neglected since Alice died.

"I have my family back." I whispered. "And I have you. But I need you to wake up." I kissed her cheek. "I don't know what those mutts did to you while you were in that hell hole but I guarantee that nothing like that will ever happen again. I won't let you feel that kind of pain again."

I waited, for any sign that she was going to wake up. Still, nothing.

For three days she's been in a comatose like state. Her body still hasn't recovered from the beatings that it took from those wolves. Her temperature went up and down like a yo-yo and I wasn't sure she would even want to wake up.

But she had to. She told me she loved me. Bella wouldn't say something like that and then just not wake up.

Anger was starting to push through again. How much longer was I expected to wait until my mate would wake up? How long have I already suffered since Alice? I didn't want to lose Bella.

Every conversation I've eavesdropped on, every memory I had during the feedings, the feelings Bella unknowingly pushed onto me ran through my head.

I couldn't even feel her emotions now. Ever since we left the wolves' community, her emotions were gone. If I couldn't hear her heart beating or feel the rise and fall of her chest each time she breathed, I would have thought I lost her.

Looking down at the frail human woman that I loved, I clenched my fists. "Please Bella. Wake up."

I waited. I sat as still as a statue, watching my Bella for hours. When nothing happened, I sighed and got up. I needed to get out of here and keep myself occupied. All this waiting was taking its toll on me.

I had just made it to the door when I heard the sweetest sound in the world.

"Jasper?"

**A/N: Okay, so I know you're all going to want to butcher me for the cliff hanger but just hang on tight. Next chapter should be out soon. **

**REVIEW PLEASE**


	21. Chapter 20

**A/N: Short chapter. I just thought you'd like to know the aftermath of the rescue. Don't worry. The next chapter will be out soon. Later today, if not tomorrow. **

**Enjoy. **

**I own nothing. And Jacob is too creepy. :( **

Chapter 20

**Jacob POV**

I woke up to the insistent tapping on the door. Leah rolled away from me and sat up on her elbows. "What's going on?" she hissed.

"I don't know." I grabbed a pair of jeans and pulled it on. Leah followed behind, haphazardly throwing on my shirt. Upon opening the door, I was surprised to see Embry. He didn't often show up here in the middle of the night unless there was some kind of emergency. "What is it, Embry?" I barked.

"It's Bella." He huffed. "She's gone."

"Gone?" Leah repeated. "Gone where?"

"Gone," Embry said. "There are a few guards passed out by the eastern wall. Quill was on his rounds when he found Jared passed out in front of the house Bella was in. He alerted me and I came straight to you."

"There is no way he could have fallen asleep on the job." I said. I instantly knew what happened. "Those bloodsuckers got her out."

"But how did they get past the detectors? And the guards?" Leah asked. "There is no way they could have lowered the detectors."

"It had to have been an inside job." Embry agreed.

I knew who it was. There could only be on person.

_Sam. _

oOo

Embry called the rest of the Pack for a meeting. The only person not in attendance was Sam. Everyone seemed surprised by that.

I however, knew the truth.

Jared's elbows were resting on the table. He was rubbing his temples, his body still shaking off the morphine.

"Jared, what do you remember before you blacked out?"

We waited in tense silence. "It was a little past midnight. I was standing guard, like you asked me. I remember, Sebastian and Topher. They came out from the bushes. They were having some sort of argument. It was stupid really and I didn't get what it was about. I got annoyed at them, telling it was a restricted area." He frowned. "Then I remember seeing Jasper before everything went black."

I nodded. "Figures,"

"What is it, Jacob?" Paul demanded.

"Jasper is Bella's love." I said to everyone. "She must have known that if she told us, we would have killed her."

"What makes you think that?" Leah asked.

"It's simple. There is no way Jasper would have gone to the lengths he did to get her back if there wasn't some sort of feelings between them."

"Jacob, I don't think Bella was the spy." Jared said quietly. "I think she was telling the truth."

"But there are spies."

"Were," He corrected. "I'd bet Sebastian and Topher were the spies. They were always snooping around."

"He's right." Paul agreed. "I went looking for them this morning. They're both gone."

I slammed my fist down on the table. Everyone watched in tense silence. "Damn it!"

"Where's Sam?" Brady asked fearfully.

"He was helping the bloodsuckers."

There were gasps all around the table.

"How can you be so sure?" Jared asked.

"There is no way those bloodsuckers could have gotten through without inside help." I replied. "Sam thoroughly disagreed with me and with his state of mind; I wouldn't be surprised if he went to them."

"State of mind?" Seth stood up angrily. "You're acting as though Sam is crazy."

"Seth, sit down." Leah hissed.

He ignored her. "Sam knew that Bella was innocent. He didn't believe you and he was right! If there is anyone who is crazy, it's you!"

"Seth!" Leah yelled.

"No, Leah. It's okay." I patted her hand, calming her. "So you're saying what Sam had enough jurisdictions to betray his people? His family?" I asked, staring straight at Seth.

"He was betrayed first. You had him removed as Alpha. He was betrayed by you and even the Elders held no pity for him." Seth growled.

I ignored that jib. "Sam chose to help those disgusting bloodsuckers rather than listen to authority. Crazy or not, I simply did what I had to in order to protect the people in this community."

"Yeah, and you didn't even catch the right spies." He muttered. "Now they're gone and you don't know what information the vampires got because of it."

My jaw clenched at his words. Seth was an ignorant brat but he did raise a valid point.

"So… what do we do now?" Quill asked. "Bella's gone. The spies are gone. Sam's gone. A few of the guards are injured."

"They won't get away with this." I said. "We will just have to get them back for this." I said evenly. "Once Sam is back, he will be put on trial for his contributions with the vampires."

"What if Sam wants to come back?" Leah asked.

"The only way Sam will be coming back here is dragged by his tail." I said. "He knew what he was getting into when he helped the vampires. He knows for that, he would be trailed by the Elders."

"A vampire and a werewolf working together," Jared muttered. "That is the creepiest thing I've ever heard."

"What's going to happen?" Paul asked.

"Now, we wait. We plan. And when the time is right, we go in there and rip those dirty bloodsuckers to pieces."

The notion was followed by cheers from the others. I stared out the window at the wall, planning.

**A/N: Okay, that's all for now. Let me know what you thought. **

**Review Please. **


	22. Chapter 21

**A/N: Okay, so here is the chapter 21, the one you have all been waiting for. Shesh, you're all so impatient. Enjoy.**

**Stephenie Meyer owns everything. I only own Rhiannon and Adrian. **

Chapter 21

**BPOV**

Picking between my parents and my mate was a difficult job. I loved my parents and I no longer felt the pain or cold. It was replaced by warmth and I felt free, more so than any other time in my life. But Jasper… to see Jasper, hold him, love him. That created a strong pull I just couldn't ignore.

When my I told my parents what I wanted, they told me they weren't surprised. Mom told me she would have chosen the same given the choice.

"Bella, this time is my last time you'll see us. You know that, right?" Dad checked.

I held back a sob and nodded.

"We love you, Bella." Mom whispered, holding me tightly against her. "Remember what we talked about."

I nodded and pulled away from her reluctantly. I peeked over at Dad. He was watching me with tender eyes. He opened his arms and I flew into them without thought. "I love you, Papa."

"I love you too, baby girl." He whispered in my ear. "I'm so proud of you, Izzie."

I rested my cheek on his chest and sighed.

"It's time for you to wake up, baby girl." Mom said. "There isn't much time left."

I pulled away from Dad, biting my lip. I watched as they began to fade away. The meadow soon followed and I was caught in the darkness. Before I could feel afraid of the darkness, I heard a voice.

"I have my family back. And I have you. But I need you to wake up." Something cool pressed against my cheek. "I don't know what those mutts did to you while you were in that hell hole but I guarantee that nothing like that will ever happen again. I won't let you feel that kind of pain again."

The voice sounded familiar.

"Please Bella. Wake up." It sounded heartbroken. I fought the darkness and slowly opened my eyes. I looked around, searching for the source of the voice. Finally, I saw it.

"Jasper?"

**JPOV**

I spun around at the sound of the angel's voice. She was staring at me with those wide, beautiful chocolate brown eyes.

"Bella," I rushed to her side, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "You're awake." I sighed in relief.

"What happened? Where am I?" she was panicking.

I sent her a dose of calm, as her heart rate was skyrocketing. "You're safe, Bella. You're in my room, at the manor."

"The manor?" she asked in confusion. "How-how did I get here?"

I wasn't surprised she didn't remember. Her mind was protecting itself from pain. "I brought you back here, Bella."

"But how? Sam told me the vampires couldn't get past the wall."

"I had some help."

I watched as the realization dawned on her. "Sam helped you rescue me?"

"Yes."

"You saved me?" she asked in a small voice.

I smiled and nodded gently. "Yes, Bella,"

She swallowed nervously and peeked up at me from beneath her lashes. She looked so beautiful. "You're eyes." She sat up, wincing as the motion tugged on her injuries. "They're gold." She traced the skin beneath my eyes. "You drink from animals now?"

"Yes."

"Why did you change?"

"I did it for you."

She blinked. "Me? Why would you change for me?"

Here goes nothing. "Because I—"

The door flew open and Sam came inside with Carlisle. I cursed under my breath. Carlisle smiled apologetically and went to check on Bella.

"Welcome back, Bella."

"Thank you, Carlisle." She blushed bright pink.

"Lie down, please, Bella."

She did as he asked and Carlisle pushed her shirt up. I stared at the scabs on her back and hissed. "Are they really that bad?" Bella asked subconsciously.

"No, darlin'," I promised, running my fingers up her arm.

"You sure?"

"Yes, Bella," Carlisle said. "They will heal. I've applied a lotion on it that will make it hard to see."

"Besides, no one is going to see them unless you decide to start walking around shirtless." Peter said coming inside.

"That very funny, Peter." I snapped.

Bella was giggling. "That's not going to happen Petey."

"Aw shucks, Bells." He shrugged his shoulders innocently.

I smiled, happy to see Bella was feeling better. "Bella, do you want to talk about what happened?" Carlisle asked as he pulled her shirt down.

"Not particularly." Bella said. "Maybe later?" she pleaded.

"We're in no hurry, Bella." Sam said.

She smiled at him. I watched with curiosity as she stood up and went to him. "Thank you for everything you did Sam." She wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

Sam met my gaze and then wrapped his arms loosely around her. "Don't thank me, Bella. It's my fault you were there in the first place."

"Still. Thank you." She reached up and kissed his cheek.

I fought back the jealous growl. Bella and I owed Sam a great deal for what he did. "Bella, you should lie down. Don't want to put too much pressure on your back."

"I'm tired of lying down." She pouted. "Can I go for a walk?"

Carlisle laughed and nodded. "Yes, Bella,"

Bella smiled and turned to me. "Jasper? Would you like to come with me?"

I nodded and stood up. "Peter, ask Charlotte to make something for Bella to eat. I'm sure she's starving."

"Esme's already started." Carlisle said.

"Good." I held out my hand. "Shall we?"

oOo

Bella and I walked around the garden in a comfortable silence.

"It's good to be back here." Bella said, staring up at the blue sky. "I was worried I'd never see this place again."

"It's good to have you back, Bella." I admitted.

"Can I ask you a question?" she asked.

I nodded.

"Why did you save me from the wolves?"

"Bella, I don't like having things taken from me." I started out slowly. "I don't like the feeling of losing control. You belong to me, Bella. No one else. To have those wolves come in and steal you away…" I shook my head.

"Why didn't you go to the Centre and just find yourself another human?" she asked in a muted voice. "You could have forgotten all about me."

"I didn't want to go to the Centre!" I snapped. "I didn't want to forget you." I softened my voice when I felt the pang of hurt hit me. "Bella, you made me a different man. You were gentle or furious with me, depending on your mood and it was enduring." I laughed. I looked at Bella and sighed. Leading her towards the bench, I sat down.

"Bella, what do you know about Alice?" This would be the first time I spoke to anyone about my relationship with Alice but Bella had a right to know.

"Not much." She said softly. "Edward told me how she died. That you were both in love with her but she chose you in the end."

I felt the hurt before she masked it.

"She did." I agreed. "When I first moved in with the Cullens, I was messed up. My beginning was not anything like the rest of the Cullens."

"Will you tell me how you were changed?"

I looked at Bella. She was feeling and looking curiously at me. She looked so beautiful, so innocent.

"Long before the Revolution, maybe about two hundred years before, there was a war. The Civil War. I was a soldier. I lied about my age and joined the war, believing that it was my civil duty. When I was twenty, I was promoted to Major." My hands clenched into fists. "I was just a mile outside the city when I found three women on foot. I assumed they were stragglers and dismounted to offer them my aid. But, when I could see their faces in the dim light of the mood, I was stunned into silence. They were, without question, the most beautiful women I have ever seen.

"They had such pale skin, I remember. Even the little black-haired girl, whose features were clearly Mexican, were porcelain in the moonlight. They seemed young, all of them, still young enough to be called girls. I knew they were not lost members of our party. I would have remembered seeing these three.

"The way they talked," I shuddered in remembrance. Bella took my hand in hers, holding it for reassurance. "My hair was standing up on the back of my neck, though I didn't understand the meaning of anything the beautiful creatures were saying. My instincts told me there was danger, that the angel had meant it when she spoke of killing, but my judgment overruled my instincts. I had not been taught to fear women, but protect them.

"She took a step closer, and inclined her head as if she were going to kiss me. I stood frozen in place, though my instincts were screaming at me to run." I sighed and tilted my head back, avoiding her gaze. "A few days later, I was introduced to this life.

"I spent the beginning as a vampire training and destroying newborns. The Southern wars were something like the Revolution except it was vampires vs. vampire, not vampire vs. human."

Bella was silent for a while. I couldn't feel her emotions and I was getting more and more anxious.

"It was Maria, wasn't it?"

I blinked at her. "What?"

"Maria was the one that changed you?"

"How did you know that?"

"I heard you say her name in the memory I had when you last fed from me."

I winced. "I'm sorry you had to see that Bella."

"I understand, Jasper. It was the way you were taught. You were brought up differently than the rest of the Cullens. It was all you ever knew."

I was amazed by the beautiful girl sitting beside me. "What happened after that? Why did you leave Maria?"

"Peter, actually. He and I became friends when he was a newborn. I was becoming depressed with all the fighting and the bloodshed. Peter had fallen in love with a newborn I was supposed to destroy."

"Charlotte."

I nodded and finished telling her about what happened with Peter and Charlotte.

"So how did you meet the Cullens?" Bella asked, running her fingers over the lines in my hands. It felt incredible, the warmth.

"I was running through Montana when I came across the scent of a vampire. I hadn't seen vampires since I left Peter and Charlotte."

"Why did you leave?"

"I didn't like feeding from humans. It just didn't seem right to me." I said. "Anyway, I followed the scent and it led me to the Cullen house."

"I caught scent of five different scents and I was confused. Edward found me first, just staring up at the house. The rest of the family had gone hunting and I was just standing there when they returned. I was shocked to see their eyes. They were gold. They brought me into the family, despite my scars and my history."

She peaked at that. "Scars?"

I nodded.

"Can I see them?" she asked hesitantly.

I reluctantly pulled off my shirt as the sun hit them. Bella gasped. I closed my eyes, unable to see the disgust on her face. "There are so many." She breathed, running her fingers gently over each scar she could see.

My skin tingled under her touch. I took her hand away.

"Would you like to hear the rest?"

She nodded, chewing on her lip.

"I never really felt comfortable with the Cullens. Then we moved to Mississippi. There were rumours about Alice that said she was a witch. She had visions of the future. They weren't as powerful as they could have been but she could still predict things. I met her one day while I was in town. I was running an errand for Esme when I saw her. I felt a pull to her. I've never felt something like that before. It was incredible."

Bella was hiding her feelings from me. I wondered if it was because she didn't like hearing this.

"Alice ad I became close and I ended up telling her about us. She wasn't surprised. She knew we were different." I breathing hitched as I remembered how beautiful Alice was when I told her the truth, how easily she took to my family's secret. "Alice was the one that made me feel so comfortable with my family. She brought out the best in everyone. Edward loved her. Alice knew it but she befriended him. I wanted to make her like me, so we could stay together forever."

"But then she died." Bella whispered.

I nodded, my jaw clenched. "After that, everything changed."

She never said anything. She simply held my hand and stared up at the sky.

I cupped her face in my hand and lifted her eyes to meet mine. "The point, Bella, is that I never thought I could love anyone after Alice."

Bella tried to look away but I wouldn't let her.

"Let me finish." I ordered. She stared at me without blinking. "I never thought I could love anyone after Alice, but I was wrong." Her eyes were glassy from tears. "I love you, Bella."

I sent her every inch of the love that I was feeling. She gasped and the tears fell. "I only want you."

"Oh, god, I love you too." She whispered.

I chuckled. "I know." I leaned forward and very gently, pressed my lips against hers. Her soft, warm lips moved against mine. As her tiny hands gripped my shirt, trying to pull herself closer, I deepened the kiss, our tongues moving against each other.

When I pulled away to let her breathe, I leaned my forehead against hers. "You are my life, Isabella. That is why I didn't go to the Centre and get another human."

"I love you."

I laughed.

**BPOV**

Hearing that Jasper loved me was the most incredible thing I've ever heard.

My heart soared. He loved me. Nothing could ever make me feel as good as I did right at that moment. Except maybe the kiss. I have never been kissed like that.

I curled up against Jasper, enjoying the way his arms wrapped around me and protected me. I have never felt so safe.

I must have dozed off because the next thing I know, I was back in Jasper's room and Rhiannon was there, staring down at me.

"You're awake!" she crowed.

"Hi." I sat up and pulled the blankets around me to warm me against the slight draft. "It's good to see you, Rhiannon. I've missed you."

"Me? Damn, woman. You sure know how to cause some chaos." She leaned forward on the bed and hugged me. "I've missed you too. Esme and I have both missed you." She leaned away, tsking as she did so. "Now, I have a surprise for you."

"All right." I said. "Let's see it."

Rhiannon went to the door and in came running a dark haired little boy. "Adrian!" I gasped and picked him up, holding him tightly against me. "Oh, God, I've missed you so much." I kissed his head, his cheeks, his nose. Any place I could reach.

"Mama!"

I looked at Rhiannon in surprise. "He started speaking?"

"Just a couple of words." She assured me.

"And I missed it." I felt like crying. I missed my baby's first words.

"Well, Jasper didn't." Rhiannon laughed. "He was waiting Adrian when he said it."

I looked into Adrian's stormy grey eyes. "He's gotten so big." Tears prickled my eyes.

"Hey, Bella, it's going to be okay." She promised.

"What else has he said?" I asked.

"It's better if I not tell you." She grinned. "It's nothing bad. I just think he should tell you." She nodded at Adrian.

"Where's Jasper?" I asked.

"He's coming back. He just went to get you something to eat."

My stomach growled. How long has it been since I've had food? Adrian was peering at my stomach, patting it with his tiny hand.

I laughed. It growled again and he looked at me with huge eyes. "Don't worry, baby. I'm just hungry."

He climbed up, resting his hands on my shoulders. I stared into those beautiful grey eyes, resting my nose against his. Rhiannon must have slipped out because when I looked up again, she was gone.

"Well, isn't that quite the sight?" Jasper said, interrupting our moment. He had a tray of food and my stomach growled loudly. Adrian giggled at the sound.

"Food! You're an angel." I grabbed a slice of bread and ripped into it. Jasper took Adrian out of my lap and placed him in his own. He held out a bowl of little circles. Adrian picked one up and popped it into his mouth. "I hear you were there when Adrian first spoke." I said, in between bites.

He nodded and looked down at him. "He really missed you."

"I've missed him too." I said. "I wanted Sam to bring him back to me." I admitted, looking at my hands.

"Darlin', you don't have to feel ashamed. It's your natural instinct."

Adrian knocked over the cereal. "Daddy! More."

My eyes grew wide. "Daddy?"

He shrugged as he cleaned them up. "He's been saying that since we were gone."

"I think he knew before either of us that we were going to end up together." I said.

"Probably." He agreed. "Children are very perceptive, even at his age."

"Well, at least he likes you."

"And I like him." He smiled.

I rolled my eyes and yawned. "Are you tired?"

"Just a little," I admitted.

"Would you like us to leave?"

"No." I bit my lip. "Will you stay with me tonight? Please? I don't… I don't want to have nightmares."

"Of course, Bella,"

Jasper climbed into the bed, keeping Adrian in between us. Even though I couldn't lie on my back because of the scars, I could still sleep comfortably, knowing my two favourite men were waiting right beside me.

I knew this wasn't going to last. Peace like this never does. Those wolves are going to want revenge for what Jasper did. We were just going to have to prepare for it when the day comes.

I just hoped no one I loved got hurt. Or worse, killed.

**REVIEW**


	23. Chapter 22

**A/N: So here's the new chapter. I'm so glad everyone liked it. I know, I know. It took a long time for them to get together but it had to happen. **

**1,000 reviews! You are all awesome. So Chances has made it into the Jasper/Bella Over 1000 C2. You should go check out the community. It has great stories. check it out at (dot)net/community/Jasper_Bella_over_1000_club/75379/**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. It all belongs to the wonderful Stephanie Meyer. **

Chapter 22

**BPOV**

More often than not, we spend our life searching for the ones we love, people who are, in every sense of the word, our soul mate.

But in a world full of vampires, how does one fine their soul mate? In some cases, humans find their mate among other humans. In very rare cases, humans find their mate among vampires.

It's hard to believe that I was one of those people. What's more, my mate is the God of War, one of the most feared vampires among vampires. His military experience makes him a very dangerous enemy. He is known for his cold heart and unpredictable behaviour.

When the people he loves is in danger, he fights until that danger is gone.

That is how I knew something was going to happen. Fear and worry churned in my stomach. I was sitting in Jasper's room, watching him from the window. He was talking to Sam, and that alone was not a good thing.

Esme came into the room and slipped an arm around me. "Come, Bella. There is no need to worry."

I wanted to argue but I didn't have the strength. I was just so tired. It's been almost a week since I've returned to the Manor and the scabs on my back have, thankfully, started to heal. My relationship with Jasper has been simple. But I wanted—no _needed_—more.

Jasper looked up and met my gaze. He smiled and turned back to Sam.

"Come on, Bella." she drew me away from the window and led me to the nursery that the women made for Adrian while I was stuck in hell.

"How's your back feeling, Bella?" Esme asked.

"It's feeling better." I said. "I just can't wait until it's gone for good."

"Don't strain yourself too hard, Bella." she warned.

I nodded in agreement.

Adrian cried out when I walked inside. "Mama!"

I picked him up and held him close, breathing in his sweet scent. I sighed happily. "How are you, my darling?" I asked.

He beamed and wrapped his arms around my neck in a makeshift chokehold.

Esme sighed and ran her fingers through his soft hair. "He's so precious, Bella. And he missed you so much while you were gone."

"I missed him too. I never want to be separated from him again." Or Jasper for that matter but I think she knew that just by the look on her face.

Edward walked inside with Rhiannon.

"Unca Eddie!" Adrian fought in my arms and automatically flew at Edward.

I watched in amazement as Edward held Adrian against him. "How are you, little buddy?" he asked. "Good."

I think I was the only one confused. "I can read his thoughts, Bella." He must have felt my confusion.

"Even at his age?" I asked in astonishment.

"He's very smart for his age." Rhiannon explained. "He can't respond in full sentences just yet but he can convey his thoughts in a way for Edward to understand better than the rest of us."

"Wow." I stared at them. "My baby's a genius." I laughed.

Adrian was giggling at my amusement.

"What's so funny?" Jasper asked, coming inside.

I smiled when Jasper brushed his lips firmly against mine. I couldn't help the moan that started when he deepened it. I pressed myself further against him, twirling my fingers through his silky soft hair. I felt the rumble in his chest as he purred.

He reluctantly pulled away to let me breathe. I looked around and chuckled. "We certainly know how to clear out a room."

Jasper looked around and let out a low chuckle. He sighed and pressed his lips against my forehead. "I love you."

"I'll never get tired of hearing you say that." I admitted.

"Nor will I ever get tired of saying it." Jasper smiled.

I rested my head against his shoulder and wrapped my arms around his waist. "Jasper?"

"Hmm?" He was running his nose across my skin, inhaling deeply.

I shivered and moaned. "What's gonna... what's going to happen to us now?"

He pulled away and stared at me. I stared into his golden eyes, watching them soften. "Come here." He led me to the armchair in the corner of the room and sat me down on his lap. "Bella, I want to spend forever with you. I'm tired of being alone and you are the best thing I have."

"So, are you going to turn me into a vampire?"

"Is that what you want, Bella?"

I nodded my head, nervously. I bit my lip, watching his face. "Bella, what part of _I want you forever_, do you not understand?"

I blushed and smiled. "When will you do it?"

"After this issue with the wolves are over." He said. "Bella, I need to focus on getting rid of the wolves so they aren't a threat. Your newborn years will be difficult for both of us."

"What's going to happen with the wolves, Jasper?"

His arms tightened around me. "Don't worry about that, Bella."

"Jasper, not everyone in that community was horrible. Promise me you won't hurt all of them. There are wolves that are basically children."

"Bella,"

"Please, Jasper. Promise me." I cupped his face in my hands. "There were only a few of them that really hurt me."

He stared at me hard. I met his gaze without flinching. Finally, he sighed. "We'll see."

I knew that was the best I was going to get. I could agree to that, for the time being. "Thank you." I kissed him sweetly.

He groaned when my tongue darted out and licked his bottom lip.

"You're a minx."

I smiled seductively. "What are you going to do about it?"

He raised an eyebrow. I squealed in surprise when he jumped up and wrapped my legs around his waist. "I'll show you what I plan on doing." He whispered. "And when I'm finished, you won't walk for a week."

"Bring it on, cowboy."

"You're playing with fire, darlin'."

I leaned forward and breathed into his ear. He shivered. "Then burn me."

"Your wish is my command."

**JPOV**

Bella was a little vixen. I nearly groaned at the feel of her warm body against mine. Her skilled fingers tangled in my hair, pulling it and effectively turning me own further. I led her out of the room and towards mine—ours, now.

Kissing Bella was unreal. She was so passionate but gentle. It was one of the things that I loved best about her.

Bella moaned when I slowly lowered her to the bed. Her eyes were closed. "Open your eyes darlin'."

I waited until I saw those beautiful brown orbs. I kissed her slowly and gently. Bella wrapped her arms around my neck, effectively pulling me closer against her. No matter how badly I wanted to make love to Bella, I knew I had to wait. I wanted to wait until she was ready. She's been through so much and I wanted her to be comfortable with me before we got there.

Bella gasped for air and I cursed. I forgot that she still needed to breathe. I kissed down her jaw and sucked on the pulse point in her neck. I swallowed back the guilt I felt when I saw the incisions my teeth made when I fed from her. I stared at them for a while, my guilt eating at me.

Warm, gentle fingers lifted my chin up and I met her eyes. "You were just doing what you had to." She said. "I'm not mad and I don't blame you."

I stared at her in amazement. How did she know what I was feeling?

"I can see it in your eyes." She said. "Your guilt is eating at you."

I buried my face in the crook of her neck. I could feel her forgiveness radiating from her. "You shouldn't be forgiving me, Bella. I hurt you."

She ran her fingers through my hair and I sighed in contentment. "I love you, Bella."

"I love you more."

"Mmm," I said. "Not possible."

We lay on the bed, while I held her tightly against me.

I felt her happiness and heard her quiet sigh. We stayed there in silence, simply enjoying each other. Soon my thoughts turned a different route. I knew I wanted Bella with me forever. I promised I would change her into a vampire, and I had every intention of doing that. But there was just one more thing that I wanted.

In my bedside table, there was an old velvet box that held my mother's wedding ring. I had planned on giving it to Alice before she died but that never happened. Even though I thought I would never find another love, I kept that ring, as a symbol that my mother was still with me.

"What's wrong, Jasper?" Bella asked.

I looked at her in confusion. "Nothing's wrong."

"I don't believe you."

I laughed. Only Bella would challenge me and without fear. I guess now was better than later. I wanted everyone to know that Bella belonged to me. I sat up and moved to the table. Bella's curiosity peaked as she watched. I pulled out the box and blew the dust from the top. You could tell I haven't looked at it for years.

"Bella, you know I love you, right?" I asked. I knew she did but I just wanted to hear her say it.

"Of course I know, Jasper." She looked at me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong." I promised. I took Bella's left hand in mine and ran my thumb across her ring finger. "I realized something. You are the most important person in my life, Bella and I would do anything to protect you." Her breathing hitched. I sent her a wave of calm. "I've hurt you in the past and I will do everything in my existence to make it up to you. I want you forever. I want you as my mate. I want you as my lover. And I want you as my wife." I met her eyes and wiped the tears that were streaming down her face. "My darling Isabella, will you marry me?" I opened the box and her eyes widened at the simple ring.

"Oh, Jasper, this is beautiful." She laughed and added, "Yes."

I laughed and slipped the ring onto her finger. She threw her arms around my neck and kissed me hard.

"God, I love you so much."

"What did I do to deserve you?"

"Everything," I realized that Bella and I haven't known each other for that long, at least not intimately, but when you know you love someone, it's better to act fast before you lose them. And I refused to lose Bella again.

"Where did you get this ring?"

"I can get you something better if you don't like it." I said. "But it belonged to my mother." She looked at me with surprise.

"But how…?"

"When I left Maria, I went back to Texas and my old house. I found her ring in her old jewellery box. It was covered in dust but when I opened it, I found the ring. There's an inscription on the inside of the ring."

Bella took off the ring and read it. "_Love never fails_." She looked at me. "That's beautiful."

"It's a line from the bible." I said.

"Is there more?"

I nodded.

"Will you tell me?"

I nodded and smiled, reciting the quote that my mother used to read to me every night. It was one of her favourites:

"**Love is patient, love is kind.  
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking.  
It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.  
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  
Love never fails."** ~ _I Corinthians 13:4-8 _

Bella smiled at me. "Do you believe that? That love never fails?"

"I don't know what I believe." I felt her hurt. "That was, until I met you." I sent her a wave of truth and love; letting her know that I wasn't just saying that to make her feel better. "Bella, I love you. I believe our love _will _never fail because you are the one I am meant to be with for eternity."

"Eternity is a long time." She said.

"It is." I agreed. "And I will spend every day of eternity, worshiping and proving just how much I love you."

Bella opened her mouth to speak but before she could do so, there was a knock on the door. I growled. "Who is it?"

"Jasper, there is someone here to see you."

I dropped my head. "I really hate those words."

"You'd better go see who it is." Bella said.

I nodded and got up. "I'll see you later." I kissed her quickly and followed Peter to the door.

**Seth POV**

"Mom?" I looked at her. She hasn't stopped cooking since Bella and Sam disappeared. I don't think she's slept for more than two or three hours a night. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." She said.

"Mom, you're not okay."

She sighed and looked at me. There were dark circles under her eyes. She looked like a raccoon. "I'm worried about Sam. He doesn't know what's coming and a sneak attack could be a bad thing."

"I don't think he's completely oblivious." I said. "We're talking about Jacob. He's not that hard to figure out."

She nodded her head in agreement. "I know. But I'm still worried. Bella was hurt so badly. I don't want her to get hurt again."

"She won't."

"We don't know that."

"Maybe not," I said. "But she's got Sam and Jasper. They aren't going to let anything happen to her. Not this time."

Mom sighed and sat in the chair. "I don't want Sam to get hurt."

"He won't. He's got a thick skull and he knows the secrets of the Pack."

"The Elders were ridiculous in revoking Sam as Alpha. Jacob is too hot headed."

"They were just trying to protect the humans in the community." I said.

"By hurting an innocent child?" she shook her head. "I shouldn't be talking to you about this."

"I'm not a child, anymore, Mom. I am capable of holding a conversation."

"I know."

I sighed and stared out the window. Jacob has been on a rampage since Sam and Bella disappeared. He is humiliated that the vampires got through in spite of all his efforts to keep them out. Sam has a death warrant on his head and Jacob is dying to get his revenge.

I knew Sam had to be warned. He couldn't go into this blindly. But security has been added to keep vampires from coming in and anyone else from getting out. The humans are afraid to go out in fear of angering Jacob. This is no longer a safe haven but a nightmare. Jacob is going to end up destroying this place.

Suddenly, I knew what I had to do.

oOo

Before Bella came to the community, Sam told me about a secret entrance to get out without being caught by the guards. There was a detector over the entrance in case vampires were to enter but it allowed the wolves to leave without an inquisition.

I looked around, being careful to scan every possible direction before opening the door. There was a tunnel underground that leads out to the other side.

Getting out was easy. I was glad I never told Jacob about this. He would have it buried in so there was no way to get out.

The hard part was finding Bella and Sam. You can't exactly catch a scent of a werewolf when it's overpowered by sickly sweet smells of vampires.

It shouldn't have been that hard to find the house. Most people talk about the God of War.

Several hours of running as a wolf, I finally caught scent of Bella. She must have been outside recently. I followed the scent towards a large manor.

I phased back, pulled on my shorts and walked to the door. Hesitantly, I knocked on the door. I had to be careful.

I was surprised to see Sam opened the door.

"Sam?" I said at the same time Sam said, "Seth?"

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I needed to talk to you. You and Jasper,"

He nodded his head. "Come in." He looked at me hard. "Does Jacob know you're here?"

I shook my head. "I used the entrance that you showed me."

"Good."

"Peter," Sam said to a passing vampire. "Will you get Jasper?"

"He's with Bella right now."

"I know. But this is important." He motioned to me, standing in the door still.

The vampire's eyes narrowed but he nodded his head. "I'll go get him." He turned to Sam. "You'd better take the wolf to his study."

Sam nodded. "Come on, Seth. It's time to face the music."

**A/N: So some of you want Seth to leave the community and that was the original plan. I hope you liked the chapter. **

**Next: Meeting with Seth and a little alone time for Bella and Jasper**

**Review please. It helps me write faster. **


	24. Chapter 23

**A/N: Okay so I know it's been a seriously long time since I last updated but I had writer's block. Add that to the amount of homework and assignments, I haven't had time to write, let alone think about what I was going to write about. So... here it is. **

**Warning: Lemon. **

**Disclaimer: SM owns all things Twilight. **

Chapter 23

**JPOV**

Peter was agitated. "What is it, Peter?" I demanded, following him to my study.

"I don't know if you'll like who it is." He muttered.

"Why?"

"You'll see." Pushing open the door, I was assaulted by two different smells. One was obviously Sam but the other I didn't recognize. It smelled like wet dog. My nose flared and my eyes darkened.

"What are you doing here?"

"He's not dangerous, Jasper." Sam said. "He is not one of the wolves that hurt Bella while she was locked up."

"Why should I believe you?" I demanded.

"Ask Bella."

"Is Bella okay?" the kid asked. He couldn't be that old. He didn't look much older than Bella.

"She's fine." Sam said.

"Can I see her?"

"No." I snapped. "Why are you here?"

"I came to warn you about Jacob and the Pack."

"Why?"

"Because I care about Bella and for some reason, she cares about you." He snapped. I was impressed. So the kid had a backbone. Who knew?

"What's your name kid?"

"Seth."

I knew of him. Bella told me about him. "Peter, go get Bella please."

He nodded and disappeared. "Should I be worried about Jacob and the pack?" I asked.

"It depends on how strong your army is."

"This fight requires an army?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"If you don't want to lose anyone,"

I nodded. "How many people are willing to fight?"

"Jacob wants everyone to fight but I doubt that will be the case." Seth said.

"Most of the wolves are no older than fifteen." Sam added.

I sensed Bella before I saw her. "Come in, Bella." I called. I watched Seth turn around.

"You wanted to see me, Jasper?" she looked at me before scanning the room. She shrieked in surprise and threw herself at Seth.

I jumped. I haven't seen Bella this happy since she got back.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, her voice muffled against Seth's shoulder.

"I came to warn you and Jasper." He said.

She pulled away and came to my side. "Warn us about what?"

"Jacob." I said.

She stiffened and looked at me with wide, horrified eyes. I pulled her against me and kissed her temple. "It's going to be okay, Bella. I'm going to handle this. You'll be safe." Her tiny hands clenched my shirt and she buried her face in my chest.

"How many people do you think will fight with Jacob?" I asked.

"Jared and Paul, for sure. Embry, Quill. I'm not sure about Leah. She thinks going after Bella is a stupid idea." Seth said.

Bella snuggled herself against me, breathing in my scent. I kissed her head before resting my chin there.

"Leah is...?"

"My sister,"

"Is Sue alright, Seth?" Bella asked. "Jacob never found out that she helped me, did she?"

"No. Mom is fine. But she's very worried about you."

"Is Sue still there?" Sam asked.

Seth nodded. "She didn't want to leave. With you gone, and now me, it's going to be obvious where I went. If anyone else leaves, Jacob's going to try to burn the manor down."

Bella shivered.

"How exactly did you get out of the community? I would have thought the wolves added more security after the break-in." I said.

"They did." Seth agreed. "But Sam showed me another way out of the walls before Bella showed up and the Elders revoked his leadership."

There was silence for a while. "Jasper, can we be alone?" Bella asked.

I nodded my head. "If you'll excuse us, gentlemen, Bella and I are going to head back to our room." I carried Bella, bridal style, back to our room.

Bella gasped when I put her down. I smiled. The room was surrounded by vanilla scented white candles and gorgeous long stemmed red roses. "Jasper," she turned to look at me. "How did you do all this?"

"I had some help." I said.

"Charlotte?"

I nodded. I moved slowly towards her and wrapped my arms around her tiny waist. "You deserve a night for yourself." I whispered, brushing my lips against the back of her neck.

She moaned. "I hope that includes you."

"Of course," I chuckled. "There is a bath waiting for you in the bathroom." I said against her skin.

"Mmm," She moaned. "Will you be joining me?"

I smiled. "Not this time."

She pouted. "But I will be there. There is something I want to do to you."

She shivered. "Go on. I'll meet you in there."

Reluctantly, Bella headed towards the bathroom. I heard her step out of her clothes and slip into the warm tub. She sighed happily. Warm, happy feelings radiated off her. I changed into a pair of pyjama pants. It seemed redundant for me to be wearing them when, hopefully, they will be coming off but I didn't want to scare Bella.

Bella was feeling very relaxed. I watched her from the door. Her arms were resting on the each side of the tub, her head back and her eyes closed.

"Are you just going to stand there staring or are you going to do something?"

I was surprised she knew I was there. I walked to the tub. "Are you feeling better?"

"Much." She opened her eyes and looked at me with those beautiful chocolate eyes.

I pushed up the bottom of my pants and moved in behind her, my cold legs resting on either side of Bella's body. She shuddered against the sudden temperature change.

I began to massage her shoulders. Bella began moaning at the contact. I knew she would turn to jelly by the time this was over. But I would rather have her relaxed and ready when we finally made love than anxious and stiff.

While her cuts have healed, the sight of the angry, red scars made me angry. I tried to squash them. I needed this just as much as Bella did.

"What's wrong, Jasper?" Bella asked.

"Nothing, my love," I said.

She pursed her lips but didn't fight.

When the water started to cool, Bella was ready to get out. I held out a large, fluffy towel. I kept my eyes on hers as I dried her off. She was gnawing on her lip as she stared into mine.

I sent her a dose of calm. She relaxed against me and smiled appreciatively. I carried her to the bed and gently placed her in the middle. I crawled up her body, kissing the exposed flesh. She moaned. "Are you ready for this?" I whispered.

She laughed. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you, Jasper."

I chuckled. "Oh, I think I do." I dipped my head and pressed a gentle kiss against her lips. Her lips moved against mine as her arms moved up and wrapped around my neck. I could feel her fingers twirling through my hair. I purred.

Bella broke off the kiss, giggling. "You're purring." She whispered.

"Better get used to that, darlin',"

I kissed her again, deepening the kiss. My tongue skimmed lightly across her lower lip. She gasped and I took the opportunity to slip into her warm mouth. Her tongue moved across mine, neither of us fighting for dominance. I wanted Bella's first time to be special. We will have an eternity to fuck and dominate each other later.

Bella's hands moved down my bare torso until she reached the waistband of my pants. I could smell her sweet arousal, affectively making me hard. She toyed with the drawstrings before slipping her fingers through and skimming them against my very hard, very sensitive erection. I twitched in anticipation and I moaned as her warm hand explored me.

Sensing what she wanted, I rolled over and watched as she straddled me. I saw her swallow. I sent her a wave of confidence. She smiled and pushed the pants down. My cock sprung free, thrilled to be away from the confines of the pants. Bella gasped at the size. I had to admit, it was impressive.

"Bella, you don't have to do anything you don't want to."

"No, I-I want to." She looked at me with wide eyes.

Bella moved down so she was in between my legs and before I could blink, her hot mouth encased my dick. Her tongue ran over the top of the head, and then she pushed herself further down my length. Her head bobbed up and down, sucking and stroking my shaft with that talented tongue. Her hands moved, playing with my balls. She sighed against my dick, the vibrations bringing me closer. I was groaning from need. "Stop, Bella." I said when I was close to cumming. "I want to cum inside that gorgeous pussy of yours."

She pulled away and bit her lip. I sat up and kissed her lips, tasting myself on her.

With slow, measured movements, I removed the towel and took in the glory that was Bella. She was beautiful. I gently pushed her down on the bed, kissing down her sweet, white neck. Her pulse started racing as my lips came to the spot I've repeatedly drank from. I placed a kiss there before moving down to her glorious tits. I cupped her left breast in my hand while taking her right nipple into my mouth.

Bella moaned at the sensation.

"Oh, Jasper." She moaned.

I continued to suckle, kiss and lick her hardened nipple until moving to her left and displaying the same attention as the other.

"Please, Jasper, I need you inside me."

I smiled against her flesh. "Well, there's no need to beg, my love." I moved up and looked her in the eye. "This is going to hurt a little. I'll try to keep it away with my power."

Bella shook her head. "Don't. I want to feel it." She smiled at my shocked face. "You can't feel the good without the bad, Jasper. I will gladly take a couple of minutes of pain for hours of pleasure."

I smiled and nodded. I lined my cock up to her entrance. She was dripping with arousal and I growled with need. I slowly pushed inside her. Bella gasped at the intrusion. I held still, waiting for her to adjust. I knew I had to go slow. Bella was still fragile. I moved inside her until I reached her barrier. "Are you ready?" I asked.

She nodded. With one, final thrust, I broke her barrier. Bella cried out. Hearing her pain and feeling it for myself, I had to fight the urge to ignore what she wanted. I held as still as I could, kissing the tears away from her eyes.

Several minutes later, Bella sighed and began rolling her hips against mine. I knew she was ready. Slowly, I began to thrust inside her. Bella moaned, meeting me thrust for thrust. "Yes, Jasper. Oh, God..." she moaned. "Faster, Jasper." She groaned. "Harder,"

I complied happily. She was so tight and warm; I could happily live in her pussy for the rest of my existence.

I could feel the need for release come. I thrust into her faster and harder—nowhere near the strength I could that would be enough to break her—until her walls tightened against my cock and she exploded, screaming my name. She milked my cock, her back arching from the force of it. Shortly after, I came, roaring her name.

I collapsed on top of her, keeping my weight off her. I rolled us over so she was on top, still connected.

Bella was gasping. "Holy Hell." She whispered, staring at me. "That was amazing."

I chuckled. "Of course it was."

Bella smacked me, rolling her eyes. "You really are arrogant."

"That's why you love me." I said.

She sighed sleepily. "Be that as it may, you are still arrogant."

I chuckled and kissed her sweaty forehead. "Sleep my love. I have every intention of taking you more than once tonight and I want you at your best."

"Mmm. I love you, Jasper."

My body warmed. "I love you, too."

Bella snuggled against me as her breathing slowly evened out and she fell asleep.

**That's all for today folks. Hope you liked it. **

**So, because I am working on three different stories, Chances is now going to be out once a week. Every Saturday. **

**In the meantime, check out my new blog. It will have teasers for all my stories, new ideas for other stories and anything else I feel like posting. **

**So... **_**Review**_**. Tell me how much I suck for making you wait so long for the long awaited lemon. Whatever floats your boat, I am all for. **


	25. Chapter 24

**A/N: I know, it's been a long time since I've updated. Writer's block and RL had gotten in the way. **

**I also thought I should clarify something: Jasper only wanted to talk to Seth to find out what he knew. I never said he would come up with a plan at that moment. He needed time to think through everything before he came up with the plan. And one where Bella wasn't in the room. **

**Anyway, here's the next chapter. Enjoy. **

Chapter 24

_**Bella**_

_Jacob came into the prison, staring at me from the other side. "Are you hungry yet, Bella?" He asked. _

_I didn't answer. I was in no mood to answer him. My stomach growled from hunger, my back burned from the lashes Jacob and Paul gave me and my head pounded with pain. _

"_Aren't you going to beg for forgiveness, Bella?" Jacob sneered. "All you have to do is tell me what you're really doing here and you'll never have to look at these walls again." _

_He knew I knew what would happen. He would kill me once he got the information he wanted. It didn't matter what I did. Either way, I would die. Jacob isn't likely to keep me much longer. He'll get tired of this and kill me. _

_I closed my eyes and buried my head in my arms, hiding my face from his. There was silence for several moments until something hard hit me in the stomach. I gasped out at the pain and my hands instinctively moved to cover my stomach. I looked up at Jacob. He was staring down at me with no regret, a sneer twisting his face and his black eyes filled with rage. _

"_You aren't going to last much longer, Isabella." He said. "Just tell me what I want and the pain will all be over." _

"_Bite me." I hissed through the pain. _

_Jacob grabbed the whip off the wall and without warning, began smacking it against my skin, time after time. I cried out, my fingers curling into the palm of my hand. Blood trickled down my hand and, of course, my back. _

_Several hits later, I could barely raise my head and my back felt like it was on fire. I wouldn't be able to last much longer. _

_Jasper. _

My eyes snapped open with a cry. I looked around frantically. It took a minute for my eyes to adjust and when it did, I recognized Jasper's room right away. I was back at the manor. I was safe. I wouldn't be hurt anymore.

Cool air hit my skin, making me shiver. I looked down and flushed when I realized I was still naked. Last night washed through my mind.

Jasper and I finally made love.

Speaking of, where was Jasper? I looked around and saw him standing by the window. He appeared to be lost in thought. I got out of bed, wrapping the sheet around my body, and went to him. I winced slightly getting up but it wasn't unbearable. I went to him and gently placed my hand on his arm.

"Jasper? Are you okay?" I asked gently.

"What were you dreaming about?" he asked without looking at me.

I sighed and leaned my head against him. "The last time Jacob whipped me before you came and rescued me." I said.

Jasper's whole body stiffened and he twirled me around until I was facing him. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner." He said. "I should have come."

I shook my head. "You couldn't have known Jasper." I said, running my hand through his blond curls.

"I should have kept a better eye on you. If someone was in the room with you, you wouldn't have been taken."

"There is no point rehashing the past. It's done. I'm back now and I'm safe." I looked into his golden eyes.

"With scars," he growled.

"Scars or not, I still survived."

Jasper looked down at me and nodded. He pressed his lips gently against mine. "I'm sorry."

"You really have nothing to be sorry for." I said. "You did _nothing_ wrong." We stayed standing at the window, watching the sun rise. It was so beautiful.

"Jasper, what's going to happen now? You didn't really say anything."

"I was just trying to wrap my head around what Seth said. Besides, you were tired."

I snickered but didn't correct him.

"Do you know what's going to happen?" I asked.

Jasper looked down at me. "Do you know how many werewolves will be coming?"

"Sue told me that there were at least fifty wolves now. Obviously I didn't meet them all but I'd say at least half of them would come."

"So twenty-five," I nodded. "And Jacob is the leader?"

"Yes."

"When the time comes, Jacob is mine." Jasper hissed.

"It has yet to come." I said. "How long did Seth say until the wolves get here?"

"He didn't say anything." Jasper frowned. "We're going to have to talk to him about this."

"Do you think Sam and Seth will fight with us?" I asked.

"Sam, I believe so." Jasper said. "Seth, I'm not so sure."

"He did come all this way to warn us." I said.

"That's true." Jasper agreed. He looked down at me, his eyebrows raised at the sheet covering me. "You ought to get dressed."

I nodded and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "I love you."

He smiled. "I know."

*******

Half an hour later, I was sitting in the kitchen with Adrian. He was eating cereal while I sat, picking at the eggs. I wasn't sure if I could eat. My stomach rumbled with nerves. I wasn't sure how this meeting would go.

Rhiannon came into the room. "Hello, my darlings," She kissed me on the forehead before doing the same to Adrian. "How are you this morning?"

"Sore." I said without thinking. When I realized what I said, I flushed and looked at Rhiannon. She had a knowing smile on her face. "Don't say anything." I warned.

"Yes, ma'am," she looked at the full plate of food with a frown. "Are you not hungry?" she asked.

I shook my head and pushed the plate away. "My stomach is uneasy."

"What are you worrying about?" She asked. "Is it the fight with the wolves?"

I nodded. "I don't want anybody to get hurt." I said.

"Bella, you were hurt while you were there. I would think you'd want to have revenge on the people that not only took you away from your mate but caused you physical harm."

"They were only trying to protect the people in the community."

"Why are you defending them, Bella?"

I honestly had no idea. Part of me hoped Jacob would die for what he did to me. The other part understood he was trying to protect his family the only way he knew how. "I don't know." I admitted.

"Listen, sweetheart. Sam told me everything that happened in the community with Jacob. You shouldn't have been forced into that. You didn't know anything about the spies and your relationship with Jasper, at the time, was non-existent."

"I know." I peered at her through my lashes. "You and Sam seem to be pretty close." I said, changing the subject away from me and to her. "Is there something going on between the two of you?"

If she could have, Rhiannon would have been blushing. "Of course not,"

"Liar," I said. "You like Sam, don't you?"

Her shoulders sagged and she put her head in her hands. "It's impossible for us to be together. I'm a vampire, he's a werewolf."

"Nothing is impossible, Rhiannon. I thought it was impossible for Jasper and I to be together but here I am." I said.

"That's different." She said. "You're human. If you wanted to, Jasper could change you into a vampire and you can spend the rest of eternity with him. Sam on the other hand, will grow old and die one day."

"Have you talked to Sam about how you feel?"

"Of course not! I am not about to embarrass myself in front of him like that."

"I don't think you'd be embarrassing yourself. I think you would just be telling him the truth." I said. "You never know what he'll say until you suck it up and tell him the truth."

"You got a little feisty while you were gone, haven't you?" Rhiannon asked in bemusement.

I shrugged. "Go talk to him." I pushed her towards the door, watching as she reluctantly walked away.

I turned back to look at Adrian. He was sitting in his chair, staring at me with his inquisitive eyes. "Was I too harsh?"

He reached his tiny arms out, asking for me to pick him up. I stood and went to him, taking him into my arms. "Don't worry, honey. Everything is going to be fine soon." I nuzzled his hair. "Jasper will make sure nothing happens."

"You're right."

I jumped and swung around, startled. "Jasper! You scared me."

He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry." He walked over to where I was standing to took Adrian from my arms before pressing his lips lightly against my forehead. "Everything's going to be fine, sweetheart. I promise."

I leaned against his shoulder. "Have you talked to Seth?"

"Yes. He said the wolves should be here in two or three weeks."

My stomach churned. "Three weeks?"

Feeling the spike of horror, Jasper pulled away and grasped my chin in his hand. "You have nothing to be worried about, Bella. I will not let anything happen to you. Do you understand?"

I took a slow, shaky breath in. "I understand."

_**Jasper **_

While Bella ate her breakfast, I sat in the study with Sam, Seth, Carlisle and Peter. We were going over everything we knew.

"How long do you think it will take before they get here?" Peter asked, looking directly at Seth.

"It was originally going to be a month away. But now that Jacob knows I'm gone, he will probably move it up."

"So two or three weeks?" I asked.

"Most likely," Sam agreed. "Jacob knows Seth is here, giving up all their secrets. He's going to try and pull a sneak attack on you by changing when it'll happen."

"Jacob could never pull a sneak attack on us." Peter said. "What Jacob fails to realize is Jasper will be on high alert until this problem is over."

"What exactly was Jacob trying to get out of Bella?"

Seth and Sam exchanged looks. "Jacob somehow learned that Bella was in love with you. He didn't know it was _you_ but he knew she loved a vampire. Hewanted your name and to know why she was there."

"And if she had given it?"

"She would have died." Sam said gravely. "What Jacob didn't realize was that Bella was not expecting to be taken."

"Bella never knew about your community in the first place. I tried to keep it from her as best as I could. It was all in vain, anyway. Perhaps if I had told her, things would have been different."

"There is no point in wondering what could have happened." Carlisle said.

I nodded in agreement. "Right now, we need to come up with a plan." I said. I looked at Sam. "What is Jacob's weak point?"

"I don't think he has a weak point." Seth mumbled.

"That's not exactly true." Sam disagreed. "Jacob loves Leah and his son."

"Leah! Don't do anything to her!" Seth said frantically.

I looked from Seth to Sam, raising an eyebrow. "Nothing going to happen to your sister, Seth,"

"Leah is a wolf, isn't she?" I asked. Upon receiving a nod, I continued. "Do you think Leah would fight with Jacob?"

"I don't think she wants to." Seth said. "Like I said yesterday, Leah knows that going up against you would be suicidal. She doesn't want to lose Jacob and she sure doesn't want to lose her own life."

"You said many of the wolves are children." I said to Sam. "Would be really make them fight?"

"I believe he would use them to his advantage. He thinks that if he puts the young ones out there, you will be unable to fight because you wouldn't want them to get hurt. They are just children after all."

"He is true in a manner of speaking. I don't wish to hurt the young ones. But if it is the only way to protect my mate, I will do everything in my power to protect her against all odds."

"Jacob doesn't know the extent of your feelings for her. Nor does he know that Bella is _your _mate." Seth said.

"We will have to fight against them." I said. "There is no other way around them."

"Jasper, we don't want them to be killed." Carlisle said.

"Just maim them." Peter said. "Show them we are not afraid but we are not willing to kill for the sake of killing, as they seem to be."

"Except Jacob," I growled.

"Jasper, that isn't a wise idea." Carlisle cautioned.

"I will not allow Jacob to get away with what he did to her, Carlisle. He hurt Bella, almost killed her. I will not allow him to get away with it."

"Think about his wife, Jasper. And his son. Do you really think killing Jacob won't cause any long term effects?"

"Leah and Jack are better off without Jacob." Seth said sadly. "All the power he wields has gone to his head and now he is using it to his advantage. The Elders are frightened of him, the people are much more cautious and even the wolves are worried. They're afraid that if they fight back against him, they will lose their own lives."

"So this will be for the good of everyone."

"The Elders never should have gotten rid of Sam as Alpha. It is their fault we're in this predicament in the first place. They took Jacob's word over Sam's because Jacob's father is the Chief of the Elders." Seth added.

"How were you dismissed, Sam?" Carlisle asked.

"Jacob went to the Elders and told them that I disagreed with him in regards to Bella." He said. "They thought I lost my touch since Emily died." I winced a little. If Sam noticed, he never said anything. "Jacob told them his side of things without giving me much of an argument. The Elders voted and I will cast aside."

"That was unfair. The elders should have had a warning given, at least watched to make sure that Jacob's accusations were accurate before making the decision." I growled. "Why did the Elders allow Jacob to hurt Bella the way they did?"

"They had no knowledge."

"Zero?"

"Sue knew." Sam said. "I think she tried to tell them what Jacob was doing but Billy cast her off."

"So you think Billy knew everything and just didn't care?" Peter asked.

"Perhaps,"

Peter and Carlisle looked at me. "What do you want to do now, Jasper?"

"We're going to start training." I said. "We will train. When the wolves come, we will be ready. And when I see Jacob, he will lose his life."

***** **

Bella was sitting in the kitchen, talking to Adrian. She hasn't let him go since she got back. Most of the time, I had to pry her away from him. I could understand why she was so reluctant to be away from him. She missed him a lot while she was in the community.

"Don't worry, honey. Everything is going to be fine soon." Bella said, nuzzling his hair. "Jasper will make sure nothing happens."

"You're right." I said, walking into the room.

Bella jumped and swung around. Her heart beat frantically from shock. "Jasper! You scared me."

I smiled sheepishly. "Sorry." I walked over to where she was standing to took Adrian from her arms. I held him lightly before brushing my lips lightly against her forehead. Bella shivered and her love washed over me like a blanket. "Everything's going to be fine, sweetheart. I promise."

She leaned against his shoulder, staring up at me with her brown eyes. "Have you talked to Seth?"

"Yes." I said cautiously. "He said the wolves should be here in two or three weeks."

"Three weeks?" she repeated.

Feeling the spike of horror, I pulled away and grasped her chin in his hand. The heat of her skin made my hand tingle. "You have nothing to be worried about, Bella. I will not let anything happen to you. Do you understand?"

She hesitated before nodding. "I understand."

"I would never let anything to happen to you or Adrian. You know that."

Bella nodded. "Jasper? Can I ask you a favour?"

"Depends what it is darlin'."

She looked up at me, nervously chewing her lip. "I was wondering if maybe... we can get married before the fight with the wolves."

I stared at her in shock. "What?"

All the nervousness left her and she stared at me with the fierce brown eyes. "I want to get married before you fight the wolves."

**Review Please**


	26. Chapter 25

**A/N: Next chapter. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I was overwhelmed by how many people reviewed and how many people assumed Bella purposed to Jasper. Just to note, Jasper had already purposed. Bella was just saying she wanted to get married before the fight. Anyway, enjoy.**

**DISCLAIMER: SM owns everything. I only own Rhiannon and Adrian. **

Chapter 25

_**Jasper**_

"_I want to get married before you fight the wolves."_

I blinked at her, startled by the turn of events. "Are you seriously?" I asked in astonishment.

Bella nodded. "I want to be married to you Jasper. I'm ready to be your wife."

A strange warmth washed through my body at her words. Bella wanted to be my wife. I already knew Bella wanted to marry me. If she hadn't, she would have said no when I proposed. I took her hand in mine and ran my fingers gently over the ring there.

"Are you sure? I want everything to be perfect for you."

"Jasper, all I need for the perfect wedding is you. I don't need a big, extravagant ceremony with a shit load of people who are only there because they feel like they have to be. A small ceremony, here in the manor with a few friends is all I need."

How did I get so lucky to find this beautiful girl?

"If a wedding is what you want, Isabella, than we will have one."

She smiles and threw her arms around my neck. Adrian got squashed between us but he was laughing at the exuberance that Bella was showing.

"Oops, sorry baby." She kissed Adrian's head before lightly brushing her lips against mine. After a few moments, we broke apart and Bella gasped for breath.

I kissed her forehead. "Should you tell the family or shall I?"

"I'm sure that everyone has already heard the news." She said.

I noticed the silence in the house. Bella was right. "You can come out now." I said in a normal voice. I'm sure all the women were standing outside the door, eavesdropping.

Sure enough, Rhiannon, Charlotte and Esme appeared through the kitchen door, surrounding us. "Congratulations Bella." Esme said, pressing a kiss to Bella's cheek.

"How soon are we talking here?" Charlotte asked. "Do you know how long it takes to plan a wedding?"

Bella and I looked at each other. "What do you say, Bella?" I asked. "When do you want to get married?"

"What day is it?"

"Tuesday," Charlotte said.

Bella paused for a moment. "I want it on Saturday." She looked at me nervously. Was she worried I wouldn't agree?

"If that's what you want, Bella, I'm behind you 100 %."

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Charlotte screeched. "How can I put together a wedding in four days?"

"It's only a small group of people Charlotte." Bella said.

"That's not what I'm talking about." She shook her head. "There are the flowers and the music and the dress and tuxes."

"Come along, Charlotte. I can help you with the wedding." Esme said. "I've planned a few impromptu weddings in my time." I heard as they were leaving the kitchen.

I snorted in remembrance. Emmett and Rosalie were spontaneous in their relationships. I turned back to look at Bella. Rhiannon was hugging Bella. "I knew you would get your happily ever after." She said, kissing Bella's forehead.

With a smile, Rhiannon left the room, taking Adrian with her. I went to Bella and wrapped my arms around her waist.

"Who's going to perform the ceremony?" she asked, staring out the window.

"We can get Carlisle to do it." I said. "He's preformed ceremonies in his time."

Bella nodded, leaning back against me. "Jasper, do you think if I asked, Peter would walk me down the aisle?"

I looked down at her in surprise. "Really?"

She nodded. "He's been so good to me since I've been here. He protected me and looked after me when no one else did." I winced but Bella shook her head and turned in my arms, cupping my face in her warm hands. "He also brought me to you. I could never repay him for that."

"If you really want it, I think Peter would love to walk you down the aisle."

"Do you know where he is?" she asked. "I'd like to talk to him."

"He's gone hunting." I said. "He said he would be back later tonight."

"Should we talk to Carlisle about performing the ceremony?" she asked.

I nodded and took her hand. Together, we walked up to my study where Carlisle and Edward were discussing the fight with the wolves.

"Carlisle, Edward." I said.

"I suppose congratulations are in order." Carlisle said, standing up. He shook my hand, smiling softly before pulling Bella into a gentle hug and kissing her on the forehead. "Welcome to the family, Bella." He said.

Bella blushed and looked at the floor. "Carlisle, we were hoping to ask you a favour." She said shyly. "Would you perform the ceremony for us?"

Carlisle's joy skyrocketed. He was thrilled to have a role in our wedding, which confused me. Carlisle was part of the family and he was the reason Bella and I was getting married in the first place.

"I'd be happy to, Bella."

She smiled and kissed his cheek.

Before anything else could be said, Rose and Emmett came into the room. "So, I hear Jazz is finally getting hitched." Emmett boomed.

Bella was blushing deeply. Rosalie smacked him in the back of the head. "Come on, Bella. I was sent to get you. We have wedding details to go over."

"Already?" Bella blinked.

Rose laughed. "Your wedding is in four days. Of course we're going to want to go over the details."

Bella blushed. "Right." She felt embarrassed.

"Don't torture her too much, Rosalie." I warned.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch Jasper." She said. "We're just going over flower arrangements and whatnot."

I ignored her and Rose dragged Bella out of the room. "So, man. You're finally getting married." Emmett shook his head. "I never thought I'd live to see the day."

"Says the hundred and eighty year old vampire," Edward snickered.

Emmett pouted.

Ignoring him, I sat down. "Do you think Bella has an ulterior motive?" I asked. "I only proposed to her a few days ago and now she wants to get married this soon?"

"I doubt it's an ulterior motive, Jasper." Carlisle said. "Bella loves you more than any of us could understand. And the issue that one day she will grow old and die has probably crossed her mind at some point."

I stiffened. I had forgotten that little tidbit. "Do you think she would be willing to turn into a vampire?"

"The fact that she is willing to _marry _one should prove that it has crossed her mind." Edward said dryly.

"That's enough, Edward." Carlisle said. "Jasper, have you talked to her about the possibility?"

"Not yet." I mumbled. "We haven't really talked about anything. She hasn't told me about the almost rape or the last time I drank from her or even her experience in the community."

"Then it is time to do so, isn't it?" Carlisle asked. "You don't want to go into a marriage with secrets. You've told her your past with Maria. Perhaps now she will be willing to tell you what happened in hers."

I nodded my agreement.

"So, Jazz, any idea who you want to be your best man?"

I knew Emmett wanted to be the best man and any other time I would have agreed. This time, however, it wasn't. "It's going to be Adrian." I said.

Emmett's face fell. "I think that's a great idea." Carlisle said. "We all know how much Adrian adores you. It will make him feel special, knowing he's part of the ceremony."

I nodded my head in agreement. "Em, you can still be a groomsman."

His face brightened a little.

"I'm going to check and see how my bride-to-be is doing."

_**Bella**_

After Rose dragged me out of the study, I was being pulled into my bedroom by three pairs of arms. I looked up.

Rhiannon, Esme, Charlotte and Rose were sitting around the room, bridal magazines opened. "What exactly do you want, Bella?" Charlotte asked.

"I don't want anything big." I said. "Just simple," I looked out the window absently.

"What's wrong, Bella?" Rhiannon asked, noticing my absent look.

"I still find it strange that Jasper actually wants _me_."

"You think you don't deserve him?" Rose asked.

"Maybe," I said. "I don't know how to be a wife or someone's mate. I've been alone without true interaction for most my adult life. What if something happens?"

"Jasper loves you, Bella." Esme said. "You need to talk to him about how you're feeling. I'm sure he'll feel the same."

"We need to talk about a lot of things." I said. "I'm worried that when he hears about my past, he won't love me anymore." I admitted sheepishly. It was one of my worst fears. So many things have happened before and even after I found Jasper.

"Bella, has Jasper told you about his past?" Charlotte asked.

"Yes." I said, wondering why she was bringing this up.

"Do you love him any less because of what he did and what happened?"

"Of course not!" I said outraged.

All four women looked at me with raised eyebrows. It slowly sank in as I realized what I just said. "Oh." I sat down onto the window seat, blushing at the idiocy of it.

"What happened in Jasper affects him, even to this day, and it has been way more horrific than what you've experienced." Charlotte continued. "You've seen and heard things that have happened in his past, things he isn't proud of. Peter and I have both seen how it affected him. We were there, we watched him fight with himself until the day he left.

"Bella, Jasper still fights with himself each and every day. I can guarantee there is a part of him that is thinking just as you are." She said.

I looked at her confusion. "You are both acting ridiculous." Rosalie cut in.

"Rose," Esme scolded.

"I'm sorry, Esme. But it's true. These two are perfect for each other; just the simple fact that neither believe they are right for the other. They both have morbid, disturbing pasts that have scarred them. Only together do they really find a happiness that we've all seen and have for ourselves."

Charlotte and Esme exchanged glances before looking at Rose.

"Oh, don't look at me like that. You both agree with me, even if you are too chicken to admit it."

I looked over at Rhiannon. She was watching, her hand over her mouth, probably trying to contain her smile. "I suppose you agree with them?" I asked.

She nodded. "Bella, you never saw Jasper when you were with the wolves. He worked so hard to get you back, finally admitting to, not only himself, but everyone else as well. He was finally able to let go of Alice and confess that he does love you."

"Jasper and I really do need to talk, don't we?" I mused.

"No shit." Rosalie muttered.

"Rosalie," Esme warned.

"Sorry." She didn't sound the least bit sorry.

"Are we going to plan a wedding or not?" Rhiannon demanded, saving me from anymore embarrassment.

"Yes, yes. Now Bella, what kind of dress do you want?" Esme asked.

"White, obviously. Um, floor length. I don't want anything too revealing." I said. "I don't really want my back on display."

There was sadness on all their faces.

"What about your hair?" Rhiannon asked.

I smiled at her, grateful for the distraction.

***** **

The girls left two hours later. Charlotte was the last to leave.

"Bella?" she said softly.

I looked at her. "Is something wrong, Charlotte?" I asked.

"No." She looked at me with a small smile. "I just wanted to thank you."

"For what?"

"Asking Peter to walk you down the aisle. You mean a lot to Peter and I know he'll be honoured when you do."

"Peter means a lot to me as well, Charlotte. He saved me from those vulgar vampires at the Centre and allowed me to bring Adrian with me." I said. "He never had to do any of that stuff or any of the stuff he did while I lived here earlier. I still don't know why he did it but I'm glad that he did."

"He did it because he loves you." She said. "You remind him of his sister, from his human life. He doesn't remember much but he does remember her. And he adored his sister, just as much as she did him."

"I hope he says yes." I mumbled.

"He will." She straightened up and headed to the door without a word.

I stared after her, wondering why she left so abruptly until Jasper came in. "Hello, darlin'." He leaned down and kissed me gently on the lips.

"Hi." I smiled, my body craving his.

"How was the wedding planning?"

"Painful." I said. "Who knew planning a wedding would be this hard?"

"Too bad we can't just elope." Jasper murmured, burying his face in my hair.

I perked. "Why can't we?" I demanded.

"Because then we'd have four, very angry women on our hands."

"Oh." I said, twisting around to wrap my arms around his neck. "I forget about that." I sighed dramatically. "How simple things would have been if it was just the two of us."

He laughed. "Well, it isn't and we have to live with them."

"Jasper, we have a lot to talk about." I said, resigned.

All laughing matters disappeared and he became serious. "I agree."

"But not tonight," I said, burying my face in his chest and breathing in his sweet scent. "Tonight is just about us and our love."

_**Sam**_

All the women seemed to be in an upheaval about the wedding between Bella and Jasper. I guess I could understand in a way. A wedding was something worth celebrating.

But not when you're alone.

I sat outside in the garden—the most tranquil place to be—watching the sun set when my noise flared at the sickly sweet smell of vampire. I should have been used to the smell, since I've been here for a while but it still caught me by surprise when one of them appeared.

Rhiannon sat down beside me, her skin shimmering lightly in the dying sun. She looked beautiful, her fire red hair, blowing in the wind.

"It's beautiful out tonight." She said, softly.

"It is." I agreed.

We sat in comfortable silence. I kept sneaking glances at her. There was something about her that seemed so familiar to me. Sadness etched so deeply within her.

"My mate was murdered because he fell in love with a human." She said, as though reading my thoughts. "You've heard of the Volturi?" I nodded. "They killed him in front of me and then turned me into a vampire. It was right after the Revolution. I was forced to watch the pain and love in his eyes as they ripped off his head and burned the pieces."

I winced.

"I was very fortunate that Jasper allowed me in his home. He was not a cruel man, despite his appearance. He's been through the same thing I had. We both lost our mates to vampires."

"As have I." I said.

"Jasper did it." She said matter-of-factly.

"Yes." My hands clenched into fists.

Rhiannon took my hand and smoothed them out. "Bleeding in front of a vampire is not a wise thing to do." She said.

"I thought I smelled repulsive to you."

She didn't respond. "Why did you come here and help Jasper get Bella out when you hate him as much as you did?" she wondered. "You could have gotten your revenge just by keeping him away from Bella."

"I couldn't do it." I said. "I didn't do it for Jasper. I did it for Bella. She didn't deserve what was happening to her. I may have hated the bastard but Bella means a lot to me." I laughed bitterly. "That's not to say I still don't want to rip his head off his body but again, I can't do that or Bella would hate me for the rest of my life."

"Why do you continue to stay here, if you don't even like Jasper?" she asked.

I was hoping she wouldn't ask that. "I have nowhere else to go."

"I think there's more than that." She probed.

I sighed and looked at her. "I've grown somewhat... attached to you, Rhiannon." I said grudgingly. "I don't think I have the heart to leave you."

Rhiannon stilled and stared at me with wide eyes. She would have been blushing if she could. "Do you mean that?" she whispered.

"Yes."

She moved closer hesitantly and leaned her head against my chest. "Good." She mumbled. "Because I've grown somewhat attached to you as well."

Warmth spread through my body at her words and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. We lay back on the grass, watching the sun set and the fireflies dance in the air.

_**Charlotte **_

Love was in the air.

Everywhere I went, people were paired together. Even Edward was slumming with one of the servants. Jasper must have been projecting his feelings throughout the manor.

If only Peter would hurry up. I glanced out the window and noticed Sam and Rhiannon lying in each other's arms.

Who knew Rhiannon was in love with the wolf?

Arms slid around my waist and a chin came to rest on my shoulder. "What's got you thinking so hard?" Peter asked. "I don't think you even noticed me come in."

"Must be Jasper," I said. "All I can sense is his love."

He laughed. "It's about damn time. This house was too dreary. No wonder no one liked being here."

"Bella's brought something out in him I doubt any of us have ever seen before."

"The servants are talking about a wedding." Peter said. "Is there something I don't know?"

"Bella and Jasper have decided to move the date up." I answered. "The wedding is Saturday."

"That was fast." He mused.

"It was Bella's idea." I said, kissing the side of his neck.

Peter shuddered beneath me. "I was thinking..." he groaned as I slowly began unbuttoning his shirt.

"About?"

"A trip." He slid his hands down my body, a delicious shiver running through me as he pushed my shirt over my head. My pussy ached with need.

"What kind of trip?" I whispered, kissing my way down his chest.

"Just the two... shit, Char..." he moaned as my hands moved down and grabbed his erection through his pants. I stroked him slowly, biting his ear. Peter growled and pushed us back, ripping the rest of our clothing off.

_**Bella **_

"_JASPER!_" I screamed as he thrust into me one final time.

He grunted as he spilled his seed inside me. I collapsed on the bed, my body trembling from the force of my orgasm.

Jasper pulled me against his chest, kissing my forehead. "I love you, Bella." He whispered.

"I love you too." I whispered. "You don't know how much."

"I do." He promised. "I never want to let you go again."

"You won't have to." I said, running my fingers along the scars on his chest. "I'll never leave again, Jasper."

He looked at me with pleading eyes. "It nearly killed me when you were gone." He whispered. "I thought I'd never be able to hold you, or kiss you." Jasper buried his head in my neck. "I can't believe it took me so long to realize my feelings."

"I understand, Jasper."

"Do you?"

"Yes." I said, running my fingers through his blond curls. "Alice was your first true love." I said. "She was the one that changed you into the person that I love so deeply."

"I don't want to talk about Alice, tonight, Bella." He said gently. "This is about us, not her."

I nodded in agreement.

"Bella?" he asked.

"Yeah?"

"Have you considered being turned into a vampire?"

I hesitated. "Um, yes," I admitted. "But I was hoping to wait until after the fight with the wolves. I want to spend as much time as I can with Adrian before I become a blood crazed newborn. And I want this whole situation with the wolves to be over so I don't have to worry about hurting someone I'm not supposed to." I bit my lip when Jasper didn't say anything. "Are you upset with me?"

Jasper looked up in surprise. "Upset? Why would I be upset?"

"You haven't said anything."

"Oh." He kissed my lips gently. "I was just thinking about what you said. I want you to change into a vampire, but I'm willing to wait until you're ready." He promised. "Besides, you're right. Changing you before the fight with the wolves would only be more problematic than helpful."

I smiled. "Are you nervous about the wedding?" I asked.

"No. I can't wait to marry you." He said, kissing me. "You have no idea how badly I want to claim you as my mate."

"You've already claimed me, Jasper." I said with a yawn.

"Not exactly, darlin'." He said. "But now it's time for you to sleep."

"Will you be here when I wake up?"

"Yes." He whispered in a soothing voice. "Always,"

"And forever," I mumbled sleepily. His chuckle was the last thing I heard before I fell asleep.

**TADA! Fluff, at its finest. So, Jasper and Bella are getting married. **

**Review Please. **


	27. Chapter 26

**A/N: Thanks to all those who review. This chapter is coming out early because I'm sick and I don't know when I'll be able to write. **

**Disclaimer: SM owns everything. **

Chapter 26

_**Bella**_

I was nervous. I didn't know if I could tell Jasper everything about me. I know he did it for me and I know how hard that had to be but he's lived with his past for over two hundred and fifty years.

Jasper wasn't in the room with me. I sat at the window seat, watching the sun dip below the horizon. The sunset was beautiful. Today had been one of the best days of my life. Jasper and I got to spend time with, not only each other, but with Adrian as well. It was amazing how much Jasper had changed with Adrian.

I closed my eyes, smiling as I remembered Jasper laugh as Adrian climbed towards him and then over his stomach as he attempted to get to me.

"How did you go from being nervous to happy in the matter of moments?" Jasper's soft voice came from beside me.

I looked at him and smiled. "I was thinking about this afternoon." I said. "It was amazing to watch how much you loved Adrian."

He picked me up and carried me over to the bed, placing me down gently. He lay down beside me and pulled me against him. I rested my head on his chest, sighing as his cold arms wrapped around me. "Alright, then what were you so nervous about?"

"Telling you my past," I whispered.

"Bella,"

"I know I have to tell you. I want you to know everything. But I'm afraid."

"Of what?"

"That you won't love me anymore,"

"That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard." Jasper shook his head. "Why would you believe that?"

"Habit," I mumbled against his chest.

"Bella, I will love you no matter what you say." He promised. "You are my life and I would never do anything to hurt you."

"I know." I took a deep breath and stared at him.

"I... lived in the tunnels all my life. My parents could have killed me or left me to die from starvation but they didn't. I never knew the reason why, since living in the tunnels is no place for a child. There was never enough food and absolutely no water. My father would go out to hunt animals. It was the only way he knew we would survive. In the tunnels, it was either kill or be killed. The others would try to kill you, simply because you had food that no one else had. My dad was very good at keeping us hidden from the vampires as well as the humans. I always admired his strength and love for his family. Anyone else would have taken a woman, raped her and leave without a second thought but Dad wasn't like that. He was... good.

"Anyway, as I grew up, my dad taught me everything he knew. He taught me how to use a bow and arrow, how to hunt. I always complained that I was no good at it but he always said that he wanted me to be prepared in case something happened. I was naive enough to believe that nothing could ever happen. But he kept pushing and pushing until one day; I snapped and tried my hardest to prove him wrong. He noticed the change in me and pushed me even harder until one day, I could shoot the arrow perfectly. After that, he started taking me out on hunts with him, much to my mother's dismay." I laughed without humour.

"I remember the day my parents died like it was yesterday. We had just finished our hunt and went looking for my mom. She was in hiding, in case something happened. We never even heard them coming. One of the vampires threw my dad across the tunnel, cracking his skull. He was still coherent but he was bleeding badly. Another one took my mom from behind, his hand around her throat. I was frozen in shock and horror. Everything my dad taught me was gone. One part of me was screaming at me to run and get away but the other part couldn't stand to leave my parents. My dad kept telling me to run, even as the vampire raped my mom. Before the vampires kill them, my mom told me to run, her voice so soft and weak. I knew there wasn't time left so I ran.

"I was all alone in the tunnels, with nothing but my knowledge of the bow and arrow and how to hunt. But I was still just a kid. Underneath the tough exterior was just a scared little girl who needed her parents.

"It was shortly after that that I found Adrian. He was lying in a trashcan, crying from starvation and fear. Someone must have put him in there recently. I took him, took care of him. He was my only companion in the tunnels before the vampires caught me. They took me to the Centre and that's when Peter found me."

Jasper nodded, his arms tightening around my waist was bruising. I didn't say anything for several minutes as I waited for Jasper.

"What happened with Michael?"

I knew this was going to come up. "I was doing laundry with Rhiannon. She had sent me to take some laundry to your room. Michael and the others had arrived a few days before and Michael seemed to show a creepy interest in me. Peter warned him that I was off limits for him and his friends but he didn't seem to care. I was nervous about walking through the house by myself. Michael showed up and started touching and sniffing my hair, telling me that you were a—" I stopped abruptly, peeking at him warily.

"That I was a what, Bella?" He asked.

"He said you were a selfish bastard for dangling me in front of him and then pulling me away."

Jasper growled his chest rumbling with anger. I rubbed soothing circles on his stomach. I waited for him to calm down, unsure if I should continue.

Finally, after ten minutes, he finally calmed down enough. "Please continue." He said softly.

"He started... touching me in intimate ways. I tried to tell him to leave me alone, screaming for help but he kept clamping his hand over my mouth. He was aroused by then and shoved his dick down my throat." I shivered at the mental image of Michael. "Once he started drinking my blood, I screamed and you showed up."

Jasper pulled away so quickly, I nearly fell off the bed. Jasper was standing beside the bed, his hands clenched into fists and his entire frame trembling with rage.

I hesitated, wanting to go to him but unsure of his reaction. I didn't want to upset him anymore than he was.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I should have been there to protect you." Jasper said through clenched teeth.

"I doubt it would have made much of a difference." I mumbled.

"I would have kept a better eye on the fucker." His face was suddenly in front of mine. I jumped and lay back against the pillows.

"Jasper, Michael would have found some way or another to get past you." I ran my fingers down the side of his face. "Besides, you came before anything could happen."

"But—"

"No buts." I said, pulling him down beside me. "That's all in the past. Michael is gone and you got your revenge."

"I should have made him suffer more."

"You ripped off his dick." I huffed. "How much more could you have done?"

"Do you really want to know the answer to that?"

"No. Not particularly." I answered after a moment.

Jasper nuzzled his face in the side of my neck, breathing in my scent. I ran my fingers through his golden curls, sighing as the soft tresses slipped through my fingers.

"Do you want to continue on?" I asked.

"Do you?" He countered.

"I'm okay."

Jasper sighed and nodded, staring up at me with his golden eyes. "The last memory before you were taken." He said.

I nodded my head. "It was of you with Maria." I said. "She was giving you a blow job and"— I cringed, not wanting to remember—"You were enjoying it. Maria said she was going to offer you a reward for your job." I decided not to clarify which one. I'm sure he knew what I was talking about. "She called one of the vampires and he came back with a sleeping child."

"You don't need to finish explaining, Bella." Jasper said gravely. "I remember."

"I was only afraid of you because I was scared. I couldn't understand how you could willing feed from an innocent child." He opened his mouth to protest but I put my hand over his mouth. "I know, Jasper. You don't have to explain. You didn't know any better."

"She was the only child I ever drank from." He whispered against my skin. "I was so disgusted with myself when I realized the extent of it and told Maria I would never do it again."

"I get it." I said.

I felt Jasper's cold breath against my neck, raising goose bumps along my arms and neck.

We lay in silence for several moments until I told him all about Jacob. How nice he was before and how much he changed after his accusation. I told him about the prison and how Jacob used physical violence to get answers. I even told him about the dreams I had while I was stuck in that hell hole.

The only thing I kept from Jasper was the dreams I had of my parents. Maybe I'll tell him one day but not now.

When I fell silent, Jasper simply held me, kissing on occasion, until I fell asleep.

_**Jasper **_

I stared at Bella as she slept, unable to believe everything she's been through. I couldn't understand how someone could go through everything Bella did and still live on. She lost everyone who was important to her and still she fought. As a vampire, I always knew that my past was one of the worst experiences a vampire could have. For a human, most people would have killed themselves, if only to escape enslavement or starvation. I knew that suicide was a common thing among the humans, in the tunnels as well as in the Centre.

I stroked Bella's hair. Her body curled around mine, used to the cold temperature of my skin. She was very content and comfortable in her slumber. Adrian's name left her lips a few times while she slept. Bella told me she loved me multiple times throughout the night. I chuckled softly as her nose scrunched up every once in awhile.

When the sun began to rise, I slipped out of bed and headed to the kitchen to make my Bella some breakfast.

"Good morning, Jasper." Peter said cheerfully.

I shook my head. Peter has been too damn cheerful since Bella asked him to walk her down the aisle. He clapped and squealed like a girl when she asked.

"Morning," I said, heading to the fridge in search of something to make Bella.

"Make her Chocolate Chip waffles." Peter said. "It's her comfort food."

I chuckled and nodded.

"How was your night?" he asked.

"Informative," I said. "She told me everything about her past."

"And?"

"And what?" I demanded. "Bella's life has been rough but it will never change how I feel about her."

"You two are more perfect than you think."

I looked up at him from the waffle maker. "What do you mean?"

"Bella was afraid that you would stop loving her when she told you the truth. Char asked if she felt any different when you told her about your past." Peter shook his head. "It's ironic how alike you two are."

Needing to change the subject, I asked if he was getting his tux fitted.

"Yep." He replied. "The women are throwing us out today in order to get Bella ready for the wedding." He chuckled.

"I suppose that include me?"

"I highly doubt the women would be willing to let you see the wedding dress before the actually wedding."

I ignored the amusement behind his words. "When do we have to leave?"

"As soon as Bella has eaten." Charlotte said, walking into the room with Adrian. He was already dressed and sucking on his thumb.

"Is Adrian coming with us?" I asked in surprise.

"Well, unless you want him wearing overalls during your wedding, I'd say yes."

"That's funny, Char."

"I'm glad you liked it."

I took Adrian from her and he immediately snuggled into my arms. "Daddy." He sighed happily. He was feeling excited about this afternoon.

"I better get Bella some breakfast." I said. I held Adrian as I took him upstairs.

_**Bella **_

Breakfast was nice. I got to spend time with Adrian and Jasper before they left for their tux fitted. It still made me smile, thinking about how adorable Adrian will look in his little tux. He's going to be playing quite the roll.

I was sitting in the living room, waiting for Charlotte, Rose, Esme and Rhiannon to finish the final touches on my wedding dress.

I curled up on the couch and closed my eyes, remembering the day I asked Peter to walk me down the aisle.

**FLASHBACK**

"_I hear there will be a wedding in the next couple of days." _

_I tilted my head back to look at him. I was sitting in the garden with Adrian, watching as he pulled the grass out of the ground. _

"_You heard right." _

"_So Major Jasper Whitlock is finally getting married." He sat down beside me, stretching out his long legs. "I never thought I'd see the day." _

"_Don't let Jasper hear you say that." _

_He chuckled. "He already did. Vampire hearing and all that," He winked at me. "I can hear him growling from his study." _

"_Lovely."_

"_Are you ready to be a wife, Bella?" _

"_Absolutely," I said without hesitation. "To be honest, I never thought this day would even come. I've lived so long believing how true love is so rare. I never expected to find my mate in a vampire who had planned to use me as a slave and feeder." _

_Peter winced at my words. "No offence."_

"_None taken," He shook his head. "I don't think even Jasper knew he would find his mate in another human." _

"_I know Alice will always be his first love. You can never forget your first love." _

"_Jasper is your first love." Peter pointed out. _

"_I know." I agreed. "And when I was in the community and thought I would die, Jasper was the only thing that ever really crossed my mind." _

"_Really?" he sounded surprised. _

_I nodded. "I knew I loved Jasper long before I was taken." I explained. "I don't know what I would have done without you, Peter. You did so much for me and I feel like I haven't done anything for you." _

"_Bella, you have done more than enough for me." _

"_There's one thing I want you to do if you would." I paused, biting my lip. _

"_What is it?" He immediately sounded alarmed, as though was I was going to ask wasn't good. _

"_Would you give me away at the wedding?" I forced myself to look him in the eye. "I want you to walk me down the aisle." _

_There was a moment of stunned silence from Peter. "Why me?" _

"_Because I love you, Peter. You are important to me and I wouldn't even be marrying Jasper if you hadn't saved me from the Centre." I explained softly. "So... will you do it?" _

_Peter was smiling broadly. "Of course I will!" he jumped to his feet and pulled me into a tight hug. "I'd be honoured to give you away, Bella." _

_I kissed his cheek and leaned my head against his shoulder. "Thank you." _

**END**

"Bella!" Rhiannon shouted from up the stairs. "Get up here! We're ready."

I jerked so suddenly and fell to the floor.

"Bella dear, are you alright?" Esme called.

"Yes." I rubbed my head, grumbling under my breath as I made my way up to my room. Rosalie pulled me into the room.

"Are you ready to see the dress?" Rose asked.

I nodded and held my breath. Charlotte brought the dress out and I gaped. It was better than anything I ever expected. The dress itself was strapless and fell to the floor. There was a small train but not an obnoxious one. A silver pattern of rhombus's wrapped around the dress from beneath the bust line. Little white beads were sown into the pattern.

"Isn't there anything to cover my arms and back?"

Charlotte nodded. She showed a lace crop vest that covered the length of my shoulder and arms. Tears welled in my eyes. This was so much more than I ever thought I'd have.

"Is it too much?" Esme asked, seeing the tears.

"No." I sniffled. "It's perfect. I just never thought I'd get to wear something so beautiful."

"You're worth it, Bella." Rhiannon said. "Now, do you want to try it on?"

I bit my lip and nodded.

In a flurry of things, the women stripped me of clothes until I was standing only in a pair of lace boy shorts. I flushed bright red as they saw my body for the first time. There was sadness from all of them as they saw the ugly red gashes on my skin.

"You will be a beautiful bride, Bella." Esme said, kissing my forehead.

Rose tossed me a white piece of material. "Put this on." She said.

I looked at it and blushed an even darker shade of red when I realized it was a white strapless bra. "There is no need to be so embarrassed, Bella."

"I know." I sighed and put the bra on. Rhiannon helped me with the hooks.

Several moments later, I was staring at myself in the mirror, unable to believe that the girl standing there was actually _me._

"You look beautiful, Bella." Esme sighed.

"You look like an angel." Rhiannon agreed.

"Compared to what she's been through, she _is _an angel." Charlotte said.

"Jasper is going to have a heart attack when he sees you in this, Bella." Rose snickered. "And that isn't the easiest feat for a vampire."

We all laughed and I couldn't help but smile when I thought about the wedding. It was only a two days away.

"Wait, what about your dresses?" I asked.

They exchanged glances. "You want us to be bridesmaid?"

I nodded. "Finally!" Rhiannon sighed. "We thought you would forget about it." She turned to Rose and held out her hand. "You owe me a hundred bucks."

Rose grumbled and reluctantly handed her a bill. I raised an eyebrow at her. She shrugged sheepishly and stuffed the bill into her pocket.

"Bella, I know we didn't have your permission for this, but since you forgot, you took the opportunity to buy them anyway." Esme said.

I nodded. "That's okay. I trust you."

"Girls, go put them on." Esme said.

I couldn't help but laugh at the mental image of them saluting at her. It was obvious Esme was in charge of this whole operation.

One by one, the girls came out in a red, floor length bridesmaid dress. It was strapless with a red silk sash that wrapped around the dress and hung in a bow behind.

"You girls look incredible."

"Do you like the dresses, Bella?"

"They're beautiful." Tears slipped down my face. "I don't know what I would do without you." I looked at each one. "Any of you,"

"We'll always be here for you, Bella."

Rhiannon wrapped on arm around me while Charlotte wrapped another on the other side. It was an awkward hug but I loved it. I haven't felt so much familial love since my parents died.

Rose was the first to pull away. "Now, onto more stressing matters," We all looked at her in confusion. "Who is going to be the Maid of Honour?"

Four pairs of eyes looked to me immediately and I looked between them, biting my lip.

"Uh..."

**A/N: Thanks for reading. Wedding will be in the next chapter. I was wrong on that account. **

**Now, there are pictures of Bella's wedding dress along with the bridesmaid dresses on my blog. There is also a picture of Adrian as well. Check it out. The link is on my profile. **

**Review please. **


	28. Chapter 27

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed and offered well wishes. I am feeling much better. Sorry this is out late but this was a hard chapter to write and I've been dealing with RL issues. For you, this is my longest chapter as of yet. I hope you like it. **

**Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. No matter how much I wish Jasper was mine. **

Chapter 27

_**Bella**_

"Bella?" Esme asked, gently. "Do you know who you want the Maid of Honour to be?"

I had changed out of the dress and stood staring at the four women standing in front of me. "Bella, it's okay. Whoever you pick is okay with us." Charlotte said.

"Rhiannon," I blurted out.

They smiled and Rhiannon hugged me. "Thank you, Bella." She said.

There was a commotion from downstairs. "Jasper's home," I hugged and kissed each of the girls and went downstairs, wanting to see my man.

Jasper must have heard me coming because he was standing at the bottom of the stairs. I threw my arms around his neck and sighed, happiness and love washing through me. "I'm so happy your home." I mumbled into the crook of his neck.

He chuckled and rubbed my back soothingly. "How was your day, my love?"

"Great." I said smiling. "But now I'm tired." I mumbled.

He smiled. "How about you take a nice long, hot bath and afterwards I'll give you a message."

I groaned at the thought and nodded my head in agreement. "I would love to." I leaned up and whispered in his ear. "Why don't you come with me?"

He smiled devilishly. "I'd be happy to come with you." Jasper put me down and I hurried up the stairs as he followed behind.

Ten minutes later, I was leaning against Jasper's chest in the bathtub. I leaned my head back on his shoulder and smiled. "How was your day?" I asked. "Did you find everything you needed?" I asked.

He nodded and rubbed my shoulders and down my arms. His cold hands left goose bumps along the skin of my arms. "Adrian looks adorable in his little tux." He said.

I laughed.

"What's wrong, Bella?" he asked, sensing my unease.

"I'm scared."

"About?" he probed.

"Everything," I mumbled.

Jasper cupped my chin in his hand and tilted it up. "Will you tell me?"

I nodded and took a deep breath. "I'm... scared that I'm not good enough for you, that one day you'll believe you made a mistake."

He shook his head. "Bella, you need to let go of your insecurities. I love you more than you could possibly understand. You brought me out of the darkness I was drowning in and gave me everything I could ever ask for and more."

I peeked up at him and saw the truth in his words behind his eyes. "Do you mean that?"

He sighed in frustration. "Of course I mean it." Jasper brushed his lips against mine and I moaned as he deepened it. "When will you see just how much I love you?"

"Now," I mumbled.

He chuckled. "Now, what else is bothering you so much?" he asked.

"I'm worried about the fight with the wolves." I admitted.

"You don't have to worry about that, my love." Jasper said. "I can handle it."

"I know." I agreed. "But what if something goes wrong and someone gets hurt? I don't want to lose you, Jasper. You are everything to me."

"Nothing is going to happen to me, Isabella." He promised. "I have fought worse things in my life than those werewolves."

"I know." I mumbled. "I'm just worried that Jacob will be so out of control that he'll hurt you. You didn't see him while I was living in the community." I shuddered. "It was awful."

"My darling, Bella. It's because of what Jacob did to you that I know I will be able to defeat him. You should never underestimate the full extent of my love for you." He nuzzled his face in the crook of my neck. "Now, is that all you're worried about?"

"Not exactly," I mumbled. "But I'm afraid that if I tell you, you'll get upset."

"I could never be upset with you, Bella."

I started shivering from the cold. The water has cooled and being pressed against Jasper's body wasn't helping any.

Sensing my discomfort, Jasper got out and brought me with him, wrapping my body with a warm towel.

I changed into my pyjamas and lay on the best, resting my head against Jasper's chest. "Do you feel better my love?"

"Yes." I snuggled further against him, sighing in delight when he wrapped his arms around me and held me tight against him as he stroked my hair.

We lay in silence as I mulled over everything in my head. "I'm worried about Sue and Leah and Jack." I finally said, answering his question from earlier.

He looked at me with curiosity but didn't say anything.

"Sue took care of me when I was there. She made me comfortable and she made me feel better when I was upset about being away from you." I lowered my voice for the next part. "She even cleaned my wounds after the first punishment from Jacob."

Jasper stiffened upon hearing about anything related to my punishments. I rubbed soothing circles in his chest with my fingertips.

"Nothing is going to happen to them, Bella. I guarantee."

I sighed and yawned sleepily. "Sleep, darlin'. You've had a long day."

I nodded and closed my eyes, succumbing from exhaustion.

***

Already it was Friday and the wedding was the next day. Everyone in the house was preparing for the wedding and I felt useless. The women refused to let me help with the decorating because they wanted me to spend some time with Jasper and Adrian before tomorrow.

"I feel useless." I complained to Jasper that afternoon. We were sitting outside in the garden, watching as Adrian ran around, trying to catch the butterflies.

"Don't, darlin'. The women just want everything to be perfect. They don't want you stressing about the details." He said, keeping an eye on Adrian as he fell to the ground.

I watched in amazement as Adrian got back up, blinked and smiled before running after the butterflies again.

"Jasper, what's going to happen after the wedding?"

"We're going to the cabin for the weekend." He said. "Since we can't go on a real honeymoon until the threat with the wolves is over, I decided that the cabin is the next best thing."

Seeing my confused face, he continued. "Peter and Charlotte designed the house a long time ago. They use it every time they feel the need to get away. They have graciously allowed us to borrow it for the weekend. We leave tomorrow night after the reception and come back Tuesday morning."

"And Adrian?" I asked.

"He'll be staying with Carlisle and Esme."

"Figures," I mumbled.

"What is wrong with that?"

"Nothing," I laughed. "It just seems that I never get any time with him. He's always off with someone else."

Jasper chuckled. Adrian came over to where we were lying and curled up in Jasper's arms. "Daddy, me hungwy,"

"Esme is making you lunch." I said, stealing him from Jasper's lap. Adrian giggled and snuggled into my chest.

Jasper moved behind me until I was resting my back against his chest. "It's strange how much has changed in such a short period of time." He said, leaning his chin on my shoulder.

I nodded in agreement. "Jasper?"

"Yeah?"

"When you said you wanted to claim me as your mate, what did you mean?"

Jasper looked down at me and ran his fingers over my neck where he bit me for the feedings. "When a vampire has found their mate, they make their claim to show other vampires that they are already claimed. When you are a vampire, I'm going to mark you above your heart."

"Mark me how? And why above the heart?"

"I'm going to bit you again. It won't be like it was when I fed from you. It will be much more intimate. That being said, the reason it's above your heart is because that is the one place that holds my heart. It's where the cord that connects us holds together."

I bit my lip and sighed, snuggling further into his arms.

"I'm never going to let you go." Jasper whispered in my ear. "Either of you,"

_**Jasper**_

Later that evening, after the afternoon with Bella and Adrian, I sat in my study, twirling Bella's wedding band along my fingers. It was strange to believe this time tomorrow, I'll be a married man.

I stared at the little black box sitting unopened on my desk. Alice's ring. I don't know why I still had it. I had planned to give it to her the day she died. No one knew about my intentions. Not even Edward and he was a hard person to hide things from.

I opened the box and stared at the ring. The ring itself was beautiful: white gold band with a diamond and four little diamonds on opposite sides.

There was a knock on the door.

I closed the box and looked up as the door opened. "Peter."

"Hey." He slipped inside and came to stand in front of me. "So, you're getting married tomorrow." He said.

I nodded. "What are you thinking about?"

"Alice actually,"

Peter frowned. "You're not thinking about backing out of the wedding, are you?"

"Of course not," I snapped. "I love Bella."

"Then why are you thinking about Alice?"

"No one ever knew I had plans to ask Alice to marry me."

Peter's eyes widened.

"I had planned on asking her later that day. The day she died. I had it all planned out. No one knew about my intentions. I had told Edward that morning that he wasn't allowed to be around Alice anymore. We got into the argument and before I knew it, Alice was dead and Edward was the one responsible."

"Did anyone know about your plan after she died?"

I shook my head. "I didn't want them to pity me." I said. "I couldn't stand their pity already or anything Edward was feeling." I picked up the box holding Alice's engagement ring. "I almost threw it into the ocean."

Peter looked at me and sighed. "Why do you still have it? Especially since you're marrying Bella tomorrow?"

"It just hit me now, I'm finally over Alice. I've allowed myself to move on and feel happiness for a woman that I can't see my life without." I mused. "I thought I'd be stuck like I was for the rest of my existence. Bitter and angry. But having Bella in my life, I realized just how much I needed her. She brings something out of me that I've never had before, not even with Alice."

"And what's that?"

"The feeling of belonging," I said. "For once in my life, I feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. Maybe this is fate."

Peter's eyebrows shot up. "Since when have you believed in fate?"

"Since Bella walked into my life and changed everything I believed in."

"Bella really has changed you." He shuddered. "It's scary."

"That's nice, Peter, really."

There was a loud knock from downstairs. Peter and I both frowned. "Who could that be?" I asked, standing up.

Peter shrugged and followed me to the door.

When I opened it, for the third time, my nose wrinkled and I looked up to see two women and a child. "Can I help you?" I held my breath.

"Are you Jasper?" The older woman asked.

"Yes." I said. "Who are you?"

"I'm Sue Clearwater and this is my daughter, Leah Black."

I stiffened and Peter immediately headed into the house. "Come inside." I said. "We have a lot to talk about."

"Where's Seth?" Leah demanded. "Is he safe?"

"Come along and I'll call for him."

With a look of digest that I didn't disagree with, Leah and Sue came inside.

_**Bella **_

"Bella?" Peter called my name.

I came out of the bedroom with Adrian. He had just finished his bath and was now feeling sleepy. "Is something wrong, Peter?"

"I think you should go to Jasper's study."

I stiffened immediately. "Is he okay?"

"He's fine."

"Are you sure?" I demanded.

He nodded. "Go to him." Peter took Adrian out of my arms. "I'll watch him until you come back."

"Thanks Peter." I hurried towards Jasper's study. I could hear voices coming from within as I got closer. Before I could knock, the door swung open. Jasper pulled me into the room and I looked at him in confusion. "What's going on?"

"Bella!"

I jumped at the sound of my name. Standing directly across from me was Sue.

"Sue!" I yelled and ran to her, hugging her so tightly. "You're okay. I've been so worried about you."

Sue rubbed my back comfortingly. "It's alright, darling." She said. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you."

"Why am I always the last to get noticed?" Another voice demanded. I pulled away from Sue to see Leah, holding Jack. He was bigger than I remembered but he was still just as adorable.

"Hello, Leah. What are you doing here?"

"Yes, what are you doing here?" Jasper repeated. "What is it about the wolves thinking this is a safe haven?" he grumbled.

"Come sit down." I said, leading her to a chair. I sat on Jasper's lap as Seth stood behind his sister, holding his nephew. "Why are you here?" I asked. "Did something happen at the community?"

Leah made a noise. "Jacob's gone on a rampage." She said. "He doesn't care about anything but getting revenge."

"Did he hurt someone?" Jasper asked.

When neither answered, Sue stared Leah down.

"Leah?" I caught her attention. "Did Jacob hurt you?"

She didn't meet my eye but that was enough. "What did he do?"

"He hit her when she told him to drop this." Sue explained. "She told him to get over himself and that going after Jasper would be suicidal. He didn't listen and he hit her."

"He didn't hurt Jack, did he?" Seth demanded.

"No, Seth." Leah said. "He didn't hurt Jack."

We both relaxed. "How did you get out?"

"The same way Seth did." Sue said.

"This isn't going to be good." Jasper said, rubbing my arms when the goose bumps set in. "This is going to make Jacob crazy."

"He's already crazy!" Sue shrieked.

"Why did you come here?" Jasper wondered.

"We know Jacob is coming here. We also knew that Seth and Sam are here. We couldn't exactly go anywhere else because the vampires would kill us on sight for being what we are."

"She's right." I murmured.

"Jasper, we've heard about your skill. We know that you're going to protect your mate and would do anything to keep her safe. It is safest here with you than with the werewolves. Already the humans are terrified of what's happening."

I looked at Jasper. His eyes were closed and I knew the stress was getting to him.

"It'll be okay, Jasper." I said.

"Jacob's going to want to kill me."

"And you won't let him." I growled. "You are protecting the people that you love. And the people that I love,"

"What's going to happen to us now?" Leah demanded. "Are you just going to kick us out?"

"Of course not," Jasper said. "I've already let Sam and Seth stay here. What's two and a half more?"

I sighed in relief. "Thank you, Jasper." I pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

"Well, in that case, can I put Jack down? He's exhausted."

I nodded. "He can share a room with Adrian." I said.

That was Rhiannon's cue to come inside. "Come on. I'll show you were he is." She said to Leah.

"Seth can show you to your room, Sue. I'm sure you must be just as tired from the journey."

She nodded and stood up. "I'm so happy to see you, Bella." She smiled. "You look so happy."

I smiled and nodded in agreement. Before I could say anymore, Charlotte bound inside. "Isabella Marie Swan you'd better get to bed right now! You don't want to look like a zombie for your wedding."

Sue looked surprised. "You're getting married?"

"Tomorrow," I said. "I'd love it for you to be there."

She nodded. "I wouldn't miss it, darling."

"Goodnight, Sue."

"Goodnight, Bella."

***

I remember going to bed with Jasper but I woke up to find him gone. There was a white rose sitting on the pillow. With a smile, I picked it up and held it close.

"What the hell are you still doing in bed?" Rosalie shrieked.

I jumped. "Jesus, Rose. If you didn't want me to sleep in, you should have woken me up."

"I thought someone did." She shook her head. "Go have a shower. Don't forget to wash your hair. You'll have breakfast while I do your hair."

"Yes ma'am," I said. I got out of bed and went to have a shower. My body hummed with excitement. I was finally going to marry Jasper. This was going to be the best day of my life.

After washing through my hair thoroughly, I got out and changed into yoga pants and a long sleeved shirt. Rose and Charlotte were waiting for me in the room. Esme came inside shortly after with breakfast.

"Courtesy of Jasper." She said.

My heart skipped a beat. They chuckled as they went at the tangles in my hair. "God, Bella. You have so much hair."

I rolled my eyes and ate my breakfast. Jasper made me eggs, bacon, sausages and toast.

Several hours of painstaking yanks, plucks and stings and I was ready to marry Jasper. I stared at myself in the mirror. It was hard to believe that the woman in the mirror was me.

"You look beautiful." Peter said, coming in.

I turned around. "Is it too much?"

"Not at all," he said. "In fact, it is exactly right. Jasper would have a heart attack by your beauty alone."

"That's ridiculous." I laughed anyway.

"Are you ready?"

"I've been ready for a while now."

He held out his arm and together, we made our way downstairs and to the man that would soon be my husband.

_**Jasper **_

I waited impatiently as Bella and Peter made their way downstairs. Adrian was standing beside me, holding onto my pant leg as he attempted to stay still. He was too excited and bouncing all over the place. I had a feeling Emmett fed him sugar before the ceremony began.

I barely noticed the decorations. All I knew was that there were lilies and yellow roses everywhere. Finally, Bella came into view and I swallowed back the venom that pooled in my mouth. Bella was a vision. Her hair was curled around her shoulders; the veil was nothing too extravagant and the dress. Fuck me; I couldn't wait to rip that dress off her beautiful body. Peter was grinning as they came to me.

"Who gives this woman to this man?" Carlisle asked.

"I do." Peter said.

Carlisle nodded as Peter placed Bella's tiny hand in mine. "Mama pwetty," Adrian whispered.

Bella and I chuckled and turned to Carlisle. The words he spoke were beautiful, words of love and comfort, of joy and happiness.

"Bella and Jasper have decided to write their own vows." He said. "Jasper, if you'd like to go first."

I nodded and turned to Bella: "Bella, today I take you for my wife. I promise to love you without reservation, comfort you in times of distress, encourage you to achieve all of your goals, laugh with you and cry with you, grow with you in mind and spirit, always be open and honest with you, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live." I fell silent and gently wiped the tears from her eyes. "I love you so much, my darling." I turned and crouched down. "Hey, little man. Remember what I told you?" I asked. He nodded enthusiastically and handed me the wedding band. "Thanks." I kissed his head and slipped the ring on Bella's finger. Bella was laughing at that.

I looked at Carlisle and he nodded his head. "Bella your vows,"

Bella's eyes were glossy from the tears but she began: Jasper, from the moment I first saw the real you, I knew you were the one with whom I wanted to share my life. Your beauty, heart, and mind inspire me to be the best person I can be. I promise to love you for eternity, respecting you, honouring you, being faithful to you, and sharing my life with you. This is my solemn vow." She sniffled. "I love you too, Jasper." She took the ring Rhiannon offered her and slid the wedding band onto my finger.

"This day, Bella and Jasper give themselves to each other. They will love together and honour each other from now until the end." Carlisle said a short prayer. "Jasper, you may now kiss your bride."

I smiled and cupped Bella's face in my hands before pressing a gentle kiss to lips. Tears were streaming down her face as I sent her every ounce of love and happiness that I possessed. I pulled back and smiled. "I love you, Isabella."

"I love you too, Jasper." She whispered.

I felt tiny hands tug on my pant leg. I chuckled and picked up Adrian, holding him against me. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am happy to present Mr. and Mrs. Jasper Whitlock." Carlisle said.

The room cheered and Bella was blushing.

"I love you."

**Thanks for reading. **

**Review. **


	29. Chapter 28

**A/N: So... sorry for not updating in two weeks. I've so overwhelmed with school and extracurricular that I haven't had time to write. Plus, I've had a little trouble getting this chapter done. Alright I'll admit... I was working on my new story. **

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: SM owns everything Twilight related. I only own the plot, Rhiannon and Adrian.**

**

* * *

**

_**Previously on Chances: **_

_"Jasper, you may now kiss your bride."_

_I smiled and cupped Bella's face in my hands before pressing a gentle kiss to lips. Tears were streaming down her face as I sent her every ounce of love and happiness that I possessed. I pulled back and smiled. "I love you, Isabella."_

_"I love you too, Jasper." She whispered._

_I felt tiny hands tug on my pant leg. I chuckled and picked up Adrian, holding him against me. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am happy to present Mr. and Mrs. Jasper Whitlock." Carlisle said._

_The room cheered and Bella was blushing._

_"I love you."_

Chapter 28

_**Jacob**_

I roared with anger.

"What do you mean they're _gone??" _

Jared flinched back, away from my anger. "They escaped."

"How do they keep getting away?"

"It must have been the same way Seth did." Paul mused.

"And how exactly did that happen? Is there a way out of the wall that I wasn't made aware of?" I demanded.

Jared and Paul exchanged glances. "We believe that Sam had a tunnel under the earth that led out of the community."

"Does anyone know where that is?" I asked through clenched teeth.

"No Sir." Jared muttered.

"Then _find it_. When I get my hands on that bloodsucker, he's going to wish he was never born."

"We don't even know for sure that they went to Jasper's manor."

"Sue would have wanted her son nearby. We all know he went after Sam, who was staying there." Paul disagreed.

"I can't believe my _wife_ took my son to that fucking bloodsucker's house."

"Jacob," Paul started.

"Get out." I said. "Get out and leave me be."

"Yes Sir." Jared grabbed Paul's arm and led him out of the cottage.

I stared out the window, watching the sun set. My timing had to perfect. If I wanted to get my revenge on Jasper, I had to plan it out perfectly.

In less than a week, all those vampires as well as the traitors will be dead and gone. And because of everything that bitch caused, I was going to kill her slowly, in front of her dear mate, before I burned him to a crisp.

I guarantee.

_**Jasper**_

The reception was in full swing when Bella and I got there.

Adrian was hanging off my shoulders, his emotions calm and filled with joy and excitement. I lifted Bella's hand and kissed her fingers. "How do you feel, Mrs. Whitlock?"

She sighed happily. "I feel great." She smiled. "I'm so happy to finally be your wife, Jasper."

"As am I," I said.

"Me too!" Adrian said.

Bella and I laughed. She took Adrian from around my shoulders and held him against her. "Are you happy, little man?"

"Yes Mama."

She kissed his nose, smiling at him. "Now, my wife, would you care for something to eat or would you like to dance?"

"I would love a dance with my husband."

Charlotte took that as cue and grabbed Adrian from Bella's arms. She winked at me and asked Adrian if he would dance with her. I held out my hand to Bella and pulled her close.

The music was soft and slow. Bella lay her head against my chest, sighing. "This is so nice." She mumbled. "I love you so much, Jasper."

"I love you too, Bella."

She raised her head and looked me in the eye. In her eyes, I saw so much. There was her love for me, stronger than anything I have ever felt or even seen before, but there was also a little fear. Fear of the battle with the wolves, fear of her past, fear of rejection.

The song came to an end and the small crowd of people clapped. Bella flushed, having forgotten that there were people watching. She was emitting embarrassment. She hated being the centre of attention. Carlisle came up to us and asked Bella if she wanted to dance.

"Of course," she flushed.

He chuckled and took her hand, pulling her against him modestly.

"Jasper, may I have this dance?" Esme asked, pulling my attention from my lovely wife.

I nodded and took her hands.

"How are you doing Jasper?" she asked.

"I feel fantastic." I admitted. "I can't believe that this actually happened. I keep thinking this is a dream. But I don't sleep so it must be real."

Esme shook her head sadly. "You deserve all the happiness in the world, Jasper. You've been through so much as it is. You both have. I think that maybe this is why you and Bella work so well together. You've both experienced great tragedies and yet you've still continued forward and found each other."

"I don't know what I did to make her love me." I mumbled. "I've hurt her in so many ways. I wasn't there to protect her from those mangy mutts."

"No, but the heart and mind is a fickle thing. What the heart wants, the mind takes time to process." She brushed her fingers across my cheek. "Bella is better than anything. She brought out the man you were always meant to be. You were simply buried under the pain and loss of Alice."

"I still think about Alice, sometimes."

"I'm not surprised." She said. "Alice was the first, true love you've ever had. She helped you deal with your issues with Maria. But Bella, Bella helped you move past the pain of losing Alice."

I looked over at Bella and Carlisle. They were talking, too low for even me to hear. Bella seemed to be glowing.

"I don't know how I got so lucky to find her."

"Bella would be saying the exact same thing about you."

I chuckled. She was right of course. "If it's okay with you, Esme, I'm going to dance with my wife."

She removed her arms and nodded. "Go on, Jasper. Enjoy your time with your wife before things get out of control."

I didn't want to think about the upcoming war between the wolves. Tonight was all about Bella and me, starting our lives together.

"May I cut in?" I asked.

Carlisle gracefully pulled away. "Remember what I said, Bella." He said.

Bella nodded and kissed him on the cheek. I took her into my arms, sighing as I realized just how much I've missed her.

"Are you having fun, my love?" I asked.

"Yes." She said, nuzzling her face in the crook of my neck. "But it's nice to be back in your arms."

"I agree." I said. "If it were up to me, I would never let you leave." Bella laughed against my skin. I shivered as her warm breath washed over my cold skin. "However, I doubt very much that some of our guests would appreciate that."

"Damn, right." Peter said. "I would like to dance with my little sister before you take her away and do dirty things to her."

I was thankful Bella didn't hear that. I'm sure she would be blushing like crazy.

Charlotte came up to us with an upset Adrian. "Bella, I think someone misses his mommy."

Bella pulled away and pulled Adrian into her arms. "What's wrong, baby?"

He seemed to relax when he was with Bella. "I don't want you to weave."

I chuckled and plucked him easily away from Bella. "Don't worry little man. Mama and I will be back in a few days."

He shook his head, his eyes wide. "Noooooo!"

Bella sighed and rubbed his back. "Adrian, sweetheart, you get to stay with Esme and Carlisle while we're gone."

Tears were streaming down his face and he was letting out serious amounts of stress and abandonment. "Adrian, Mama and I _will _be coming home. It won't be like last time."

He looked at me, his face red from crying. He sniffled and rubbed his eyes. "Do you pwomise?"

Bella looked at me, curiosity the most prominent emotion. "I promise."

Adrian stared at me for several long minutes. Finally, he nodded and buried his face in my neck. "I wuv you Daddy,"

"I love you, too, Adrian."

Esme came up to us, having heard our conversation. "Come on, little one. Come dance with me."

"Okay." Adrian nearly jumped into her arms and snuggled against her chest.

I pulled Bella back against me. "What was that about?" she asked, resting her cheek against my shoulder.

"He was worried that we weren't going to come back." I said. "He thought we were going to abandon him."

"Oh." She said. "Is he okay now?"

I nodded. "He's fine."

Bella sighed. "I guess I really did a number on him with my disappearing act."

"It wasn't your fault, Bella."

"I know." She said. "But it still hurt him."

"Don't think about the wolves, my love." I said, cupping her face in my hands. "They are of no concern to us today."

"But what if—"

I kissed her, effectively stopping all words. She moaned into my mouth and pressed herself closer to me.

I pulled away when I caught a whiff of her arousal. She gasped for breath and groaned. "You have to stop doing that, Jasper." She whispered. She took ear between her teeth and nibbled on it. My hands tightened at her waist.

"You aren't playing fair, Isabella."

"I'm ready to leave now, Jasper."

I groaned. "We can't yet."

"Why not?" Her hands trailed down my chest to the bulge in my pants. "Someone's definitely excited."

"Bella," I sighed.

"Please Jasper," she whispered.

I pulled her away and cupped her chin. "One hour."

Her smile widened and she nodded. "One hour."

_**OOO**_

After an hour of pictures being taken and dancing with everyone _but_ my wife, I finally managed to whisk her away.

Bella sighed happily. "Does this mean we're leaving now?" she asked.

"We just need to say goodnight to the guests." I pressed my lips against her neck. She shivered, wrapping her arms around my neck. "There is a tradition," I continued, moving my lips down the side of her neck and across her collarbone. "That the groom must remove the garter from the bride,"

Bella blushed and looked at me. "You can't be serious."

"Oh, I'm very serious." I kissed her on the nose.

She nodded, her face still flushed.

After removing the garter with my teeth—much to Bella's embarrassment—I tossed it. I was surprised when Edward caught it. Bella had buried her face in her hands, her face flushing from all the cheering. My wife certainly hated being the centre of attention.

Bella tossed the bouquet of flowers. Rhiannon squeaked when she caught it and looked at Sam. I laughed at the looks on both their faces.

"It's time to leave my love."

She nodded and kissed me lightly on the lips. "I just want to check on Adrian before we go."

I looked at the clock. It was already ten so Adrian would already be in bed. When I mentioned this, Bella nodded. "I'm not going to wake him up." She said. "Just say good night."

"Okay." I surrendered.

_**Bella**_

Adrian _was _asleep when I went to find him. In fact, he was in bed, according to Esme. Jasper told me he would take the bags out to the car while I said goodbye.

"Aren't you going to say goodbye?"

"No. I said my goodbyes earlier."

I nodded. "I'll be five minutes."

"Take your time, darlin'."

I went upstairs in search of my little boy. It was amazing how far we have come since we were first captured by the vampires in the tunnels. Never in my life did I imagine it would turn out the way it did. I was married to a vampire—the God of War, no less—and the child that I found in the tunnel was calling me mommy.

Adrian was lying across the bed, the sheets pushed down. I smiled and crouched down, pushing the blankets up against him. He stirred at my touch. "Mama?"

"Hi, baby."

"Awe you weaving?"

"Yes, baby." I said. "I just wanted to say goodbye."

He rubbed his eyes sleepily. "I wuv you, Mama,"

I laughed and hugged him tight. "I love you, too, baby." I pulled away and kissed his forehead. "Be good for Carlisle and Esme. Daddy and I will be back in a few days."

"Pwomise?"

I nodded and kissed him again. "I better go, baby. You need to get back to sleep."

He pouted but nodded.

I helped him back into bed before heading downstairs. Jasper was standing by the door talking to Peter and Charlotte as he waited. I stopped on the stairs and simply admired him. He was so handsome and he was _mine_. How and when I got so lucky I'll never know.

Jasper caught my eye and smiled. I hurried down the stairs and slipped my hand into his. "You ready to leave, darlin'?"

I nodded and smiled.

We said goodbye to our guests and left.

_**OOO**_

The cottage we were staying at was beautiful. It was smaller than the manor but comfortable.

"What do you think?" Jasper asked.

"It's gorgeous." I said, sighing. "We get to spend three days here?"

"Yes." He put down the bags he was holding and lifted me into his arms. I giggled and looked at him with wide eyes.

"It's tradition for the groom to carry the bride through the threshold."

"Why do I get the feeling you made that up?"

"I didn't." He said. "Ask Carlisle."

I shook my head and kissed his neck. "Well then, cowboy, what are you waiting for?"

He took the hint and ran—vampire speed—through the door. I couldn't stop giggling as he put me down on the bed. "Now, my love, why don't you take a bath while I unpack?" he suggested.

"You're really going to leave me all alone?"

"Oh, my sweet. You won't be along for very long." He said, nibbling on my earlobe. "Not if I have anything to do with it."

I nodded and started to undress on my way to the bathroom. "Better hurry up, Jasper or I may just have to start without you."

I heard a growl from behind me as the dress dropped from my body and I entered the bathroom in only panties and a bra.

I slipped off the rest of my garments and slipped into the tub. The water was warm and bubbly when I got in. I sighed in pleasure. The only thing that would make this so much better is Jasper.

My eyes closed as my body began to relax.

I didn't hear him come in but shortly after, Jasper was lowering himself down into the water behind me. I could feel his very prominent erection against my back and smirked.

"Someone's excited." I said.

Jasper growled and moved my hair from one side so he could reach my neck. He licked and sucked while his hands moved down my body. My core throbbed with need. I leaned my head back against his shoulder, my hands clenching into fists.

"Mmm, you're all wet for me, darlin'." He whispered.

He inserted two fingers into my pussy, thrusting in and out at an even pace. "Oh, God." I whispered, thrusting my hips into his fingers.

"God won't help you here, sweets."

His fingers sped up and my muscle tightened.

The orgasm was the most intense one I've experienced. If he could do that with only his fingers, I couldn't wait for what was to come.

"Oh, Jasper," he removed his hands from my body, much to my disappointment. I twisted around to look at him. His eyes were black with lust.

"Are you finished or do you want to continue with the bath?"

"I'm finished." I whispered, kissing along his jaw. "Definitely finished,"

Jasper lifted me out of the tub and dried me off. He was so tender as he wiped me down and then himself.

He carried me to the bed and lowered me gently before crawling on top of me. "I love you so much, Bella." He whispered.

"I love you too." I brushed his hair out of his eyes. They went back to the honey gold I loved, though they were tender and full of love.

I felt his cock at my entrance. Even though this wasn't the first time that Jasper and I have made love, it would be the first time as husband and wife. Jasper felt the love I sent him because he returned them without hesitation.

Basking in both our emotions, I didn't feel Jasper enter me. Jasper kissed me slowly as he thrust. I moaned and gripped his stomach.

"Oh, Jasper," I whispered. "Please,"

"Please what, darlin'?"

"Faster." I groaned. I met each thrust as he moved faster. The coils in my stomach tightened as he moved. "Jazz, oh God, Jasper, I'm going to cum."

"Cum with me, darlin'," He whispered against the skin of my neck.

A few thrust later, I came hard, screaming his name. Jasper roared as he came. He collapsed on top of me, keeping his weight off me. He pulled out of me, much to my disappointment. Jasper chuckled and pulled me against him. His body felt great against me. I felt hot and tired.

"Sleep, my love,"

"I don't want to." I lied.

"If you get some sleep now," he ran his nose along my neck. I shivered in delight as his cool breath washed over me. "I guarantee another round when you wake up."

"Is that a promise?"

"I always keep my promises, Bella."

"I'll hold you to it." I whispered.

"I wouldn't think otherwise."

I snuggled into his arms and drifted off to sleep, my body humming with the love I felt for the man lying beside me.

"I love you, Bella," Was the last thing I heard before drifting to sleep.

**Thanks for reading. **

**Review. **


	30. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything. Twilight belongs to the great Stephenie Meyer. I do however, own Adrian, Rhiannon and the plot.

_**Previously on Chances: **_

"_Sleep, my love,"_

"_I don't want to." I lied._

"_If you get some sleep now," he ran his nose along my neck. I shivered in delight as his cool breath washed over me. "I guarantee another round when you wake up." _

"_Is that a promise?"_

"_I always keep my promises, Bella." _

"_I'll hold you to it." I whispered. _

"_I wouldn't think otherwise." _

_I snuggled into his arms and drifted off to sleep, my body humming with the love I felt for the man lying beside me. _

"_I love you, Bella," Was the last thing I heard before drifting to sleep._

* * *

Chapter 29

_**Jasper **_

Three days alone with Bella has been absolute heaven.

We spent the past few days making love and exploring the woods that surrounded the cabin. Bella was enchanted by the meadow we found. I especially loved the waterfall. Bella and I had a great time there.

Bella lay asleep on my chest, mumbling in her sleep. Her emotions were calm but I could sense a tiny tinge of worry. I didn't need to ask what was bothering her. I knew she was anxious to see Adrian again. Despite my attempts to sooth her worries, she still had to talk to him every morning to make sure nothing was wrong. While Adrian feared he might never see Bella again, Bella had the same irrational fear that something might happen to him while we were gone. She's terrified that the wolves were going to attack while we're gone and do something to hurt Adrian.

While I knew that the wolves wouldn't attack yet, I knew that even if they did, we wouldn't have to worry because Peter has been training the wolves and other vampires to fight.

"Jasper," Bella sighed and nuzzled her nose against my chest.

I tightened my arms around her and smiled smugly. I closed my eyes, wishing—for the first time in a _long_ time—that I could sleep.

The calming emotion Bella was feeling was slowly changing. She was beginning to feel terror and fear. She thrashed on the bed, jerking out of my arms and screaming.

"Bella!" I shook her shoulders, hoping to wake her from her nightmare. "Bella, wake up sweetheart, you're safe."

Her screams silenced but she whimpered.

"Bella," I whispered in her ear. "Come back to me, my love."

Her eyes slowly opened and she looked at me. "Jasper," she whimpered.

"Sweetheart, what were you dreaming about?" I asked, running my fingers down the side of her face. She was all clammy from the dream. She shivered from my cold body.

"I dreamed Jacob was killing you." She whispered. "There was nothing I could do but stand there and watch. Paul and Jared were holding my arms and forcing me to watch—" she choked out the rest of the sentence and buried her face in my chest.

"Bella, nothing is going to happen to me." I told her fiercely. "It was just a dream."

"But what if something happens to you? I can't let anything happen. You can't leave me, Jasper." She was becoming hysterical. I needed to calm her down before something bad happened.

I cupped her face in my hands and forced her to look me in the eye. "Listen to me, Isabella." I said. "Nothing is going to happen to me. Jacob will never get that close. I was a soldier, Bella. I know how to take care of myself."

She sniffled.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?"

She nodded her head slowly. "I'm just afraid something will go wrong."

"Nothing will go wrong, my love." I said pressing butterfly kisses all along her face. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do." She said. "You know that."

I sighed. "I love you, Bella. I won't let Jacob hurt you. He won't hurt anyone." I smiled and sent some calm into her. "Are you ready to sleep?"

She nodded and snuggled in my arms. "I love you, Jasper," she sighed. "Will you hold me?"

"Always,"

Bella fell back to sleep pretty quick and I continued to send her calming emotions so she wouldn't have nightmares.

In the early morning, my cell phone rang. I eased out of bed, careful not to jostle Bella. "Hello?"

"We've got a problem." Peter skipped past the small talk.

"What kind of problems?" I demanded, walking out of the bedroom and onto the deck. I didn't want to wake Bella if I should suddenly raise my voice.

"Jacob."

I growled. "What about Jacob?"

"The spies found something out."

"What spies?" I demanded. "Peter, have you been sending humans into the community again?"

"No." He said quickly. "A few of the vampires from the house have been watching the community from the wall. It wasn't under our jurisdiction. They went out on their own and have been watching."

"Why would they do that?" I was pissed.

"They wanted to protect Bella."

Upon hearing that, I knew I couldn't be upset. They were only trying to keep Bella safe. "What did they find out?"

"The wolves are moving quicker than we expected." He said. "They'll be here in a week."

"A week?" I hissed.

"Now that Leah, Sue and Jack are here, Jacob's pissed. He wants revenge now." Peter was speaking quickly. "You and Bella need to come home. Immediately,"

I nodded my head in agreement. "We'll be there as soon as we can." I closed my phone without another word and went back inside.

Bella was just beginning to stir. "Wake up, my love." I whispered, pressing little kisses against her face.

"Mmm," she sighed. "What a great way to wake up in the morning." She whispered, opening her eyes. Her gorgeous brown orbs filled with love.

"Did you sleep well?"

She nodded and yawned. She sat up and looked at me, her smiling falling immediately. "What is it?"

I stared at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Something happened. I can see it on your face."

I sighed and pulled her into my lap. "We have to go." I said. "I got a call from Peter. Apparently Jacob is going to strike next week."

Fear washed over her as she realized what I was saying.

"A week?" she squeaked. "Why... why is he coming so soon?"

"Jacob's family and a few of his wolves have already escaped his clutches. He's angry."

Bella swallowed and buried her face in my chest. "It's going to be okay, my love. I won't let anyone hurt you." I promised.

"I'm scared, Jasper."

"I know." I held Bella for several moments. "We'd better get ready to leave. I told Peter we'd be home as soon as possible."

She nodded and slid out of my lap.

_**Bella**_

The drive back to the Manor was silent. Jasper was silent, thinking through everything. Every now and again, his hands would tighten until the skin was stretched to the point that his knuckles were white.

I rested my hand on his thigh. "It's going to be okay, Jasper." How did we go from him comforting me to me comforting him? We did a total 360.

He shook his head and took my hand, staring out the window. "I don't want you to get hurt, Bella."

"I won't."

"How do you know?"

"Because you will be there to prevent it," I stroked his hand and brought it to my mouth, kissing it gently. "I know you won't let anything hurt me Jasper. I'll be surrounded by vampires and werewolves who won't let anything happen to me."

"But what if someone slips by them?"

I frowned. His panic was really starting to get to me. "Look Jasper. You need to calm down a little. Nothing is going to happen and you're only making it worse for yourself. You need to focus on getting rid of Jacob."

"You're right." He agreed. "I just don't want to lose you now that I found you."

"You were fine this morning. What changed?"

"I've had time to think about it." He didn't offer anything else and I didn't ask.

We fell silent and I stared out the window. I was used to Jasper's temperature by now that I no longer felt the coolness of his skin. The scenery passed by in a blur. Jasper's fears were sinking into me as well but I didn't want him to know. I sighed inwardly and subconsciously stroked Jasper's hand.

We got home an hour later. Peter and Charlotte were waiting for us when we got back home. "I'm sorry for calling your honeymoon short."

"This is more important." I said. "Until the threat with the wolves is over, no one here is safe. Jasper and I can always go back again when it's over."

Jasper looked at me, blinking and then nodded his head. "She's right."

Peter chuckled and wrapped his arm around Charlotte. "Come inside. Adrian wants to see you before we get into the planning."

My ears perked at the mention. Adrian. I'm ashamed to admit that in the days that Jasper and I have been gone, I haven't thought about him unless I was talking to him on the phone. I'm an awful mother.

"Stop feeling so guilty, darlin'. You deserved to relax without worrying about Adrian every second of the day."

I wasn't surprised Jasper knew what I was thinking about. He and I are connected in a way that surprises even me at times.

"Mama!" Adrian shouted when he saw me. He ran to me and wrapped his arms around me.

"I've missed you sweetheart."

"Mama," he sighed happily and nuzzled his face against my neck.

I looked over at Jasper before turning to look at Rhiannon and Sam. I was surprised to see them sitting close together. Rhiannon met my eye before looking away immediately. I almost laughed. If she could, she would have been blushing like crazy.

Jasper took Adrian out of my arms and started whispering things to him. I couldn't hear what he said but seeing him with Adrian was amazing. It was amazing how much Jasper has changed since the beginning.

Rhiannon stood up and wrapped me in a cold hug. "So, how was the honeymoon?"

"Too short," I sighed and shook my head. "Those wolves get in the middle of everything."

"Don't worry about them, Bella. Everything will work out well." Sam said, getting up and standing next to Rhiannon.

"Let's hope so." I said. "How has everything been while we were gone?"

"We can talk about that later." Jasper said, moving Adrian from one arm to the other. "How has Adrian been? He didn't cause any trouble, did he?"

"Of course not," Rhiannon said. "We've been keeping him busy so he wouldn't miss you much."

"That's good." I said, stroking Adrian's cheek.

I smiled and kissed him on the forehead.

**xXx **

Jasper and I spent half an hour playing with Adrian. He was thrilled to have us back and wouldn't stop clinging to either one of us, in fear that we might disappear again.

When it was late enough, I took Adrian upstairs and gave him a bath before reading him a story and putting him to bed. He was out like a light before his head even hit the pillow.

"He asleep?" Jasper asked, leaning against the door.

I nodded. "All this excitement has worn him out." I stood up from my crouch and walked to him. "What's going to happen to him during the fight?"

"Esme and Sue are going to take him and Jack back to the Cullen Manor. Leah was reluctant to let her take Jack but Sue convinced her that it was best for both of them. This way, Leah won't have to worry about Jack's safety and focus on the fight."

"This is going to be hard for her." I said. "She's going to be fighting against her own people, her husband."

"She knows." He said. "This will be hard for everyone."

Peter walked down the hall. "Jasper, Bella? We're ready to have the meeting." He said.

Jasper nodded and took my hand, leading me to the study.

The vampires and the werewolves were gathered in Jasper's study, waiting. I sat in the chair while Jasper stood beside me, waiting for everyone to quiet down. "Peter told me about the spies that have been watching the wolves. Apparently they are coming earlier than we all anticipated."

Talk erupted around the room.

"Now, Peter told me that he has been training you. How has that been going?" he asked, looking at Peter.

"It's been going."

"Explain, Peter."

"I've taught them some techniques but most of them are only in regards to fighting newborns, not wolves."

"We've been teaching the vampires how to avoid them." Sam said. "One of the things they have to learn is to stay away from their teeth."

"Our teeth are the defence mechanism we use against vampires." Leah said. "It's what protects us from them."

"Do you have weakness?" I asked.

Everyone looked at me before looking at them.

"Vampire venom,"

Jasper looked speculative. "How much venom?"

"A single bite would do it." Sam said.

He nodded again. "Alright," he looked at me. "We'll start training tomorrow. We have seven days."

They started leaving the room. Only Peter, Charlotte, Sam and Leah remained. "What are the chances of defeating the wolves?"

"There will be approximately five or six mature wolves. There might be a couple of inexperienced wolves with them but they are too young to really fight."

"So Jacob is sending them on a suicide mission?" I asked. "Is there any way to stop them without having to kill them? They are just boys who don't know any better."

"Leave that to me." Leah said. "I'll stop them."

Jasper nodded. "Till tomorrow, then."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who waited so patiently for this chapter. Thanks to those who offered the well wishes. Prom was amazing and graduation went well (I'm no longer a high school student :D) **

**Now that that's out of my system... who saw ECLIPSE? It was amazing. Can I just say I loved how Jasper had more of a role in this movie than the previous ones?... *sigh* Jasper. How I would love to have my own southern gentlemen like Jasper. **

**Uh... sorry about the rant.**

**Next chapter will be the training with Jasper and then the fight with the wolves**

**Review please. **


End file.
